diff --git a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/__init__.py
index 0a678452b2..047ddddcac 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/__init__.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import esphome.codegen as cg
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome import pins
 from esphome.components import display
-from esphome.const import CONF_EXTERNAL_VCC, CONF_LAMBDA, CONF_MODEL, CONF_RESET_PIN
+from esphome.const import CONF_EXTERNAL_VCC, CONF_LAMBDA, CONF_MODEL, CONF_RESET_PIN, \
+    CONF_BRIGHTNESS
 from esphome.core import coroutine
 
 ssd1306_base_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace('ssd1306_base')
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ SSD1306_MODEL = cv.enum(MODELS, upper=True, space="_")
 SSD1306_SCHEMA = display.FULL_DISPLAY_SCHEMA.extend({
     cv.Required(CONF_MODEL): SSD1306_MODEL,
     cv.Optional(CONF_RESET_PIN): pins.gpio_output_pin_schema,
+    cv.Optional(CONF_BRIGHTNESS, default=1.0): cv.percentage,
     cv.Optional(CONF_EXTERNAL_VCC): cv.boolean,
 }).extend(cv.polling_component_schema('1s'))
 
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ def setup_ssd1036(var, config):
     if CONF_RESET_PIN in config:
         reset = yield cg.gpio_pin_expression(config[CONF_RESET_PIN])
         cg.add(var.set_reset_pin(reset))
+    if CONF_BRIGHTNESS in config:
+        cg.add(var.set_brightness(config[CONF_BRIGHTNESS]))
     if CONF_EXTERNAL_VCC in config:
         cg.add(var.set_external_vcc(config[CONF_EXTERNAL_VCC]))
     if CONF_LAMBDA in config:
diff --git a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.cpp b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.cpp
index b6f2d94eac..d60f7dc985 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.cpp
@@ -79,10 +79,7 @@ void SSD1306::setup() {
     case SH1106_MODEL_128_64:
     case SSD1306_MODEL_64_48:
     case SH1106_MODEL_64_48:
-      if (this->external_vcc_)
-        this->command(0x9F);
-      else
-        this->command(0xCF);
+      this->command(int(255 * (this->brightness_)));
       break;
     case SSD1306_MODEL_96_16:
     case SH1106_MODEL_96_16:
@@ -100,7 +97,7 @@ void SSD1306::setup() {
     this->command(0xF1);
 
   this->command(SSD1306_COMMAND_SET_VCOM_DETECT);
-  this->command(0x40);
+  this->command(0x00);
 
   this->command(SSD1306_COMMAND_DISPLAY_ALL_ON_RESUME);
   this->command(SSD1306_NORMAL_DISPLAY);
diff --git a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.h b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.h
index 66c12ec938..8adf3c1b87 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ssd1306_base/ssd1306_base.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ class SSD1306 : public PollingComponent, public display::DisplayBuffer {
   void set_model(SSD1306Model model) { this->model_ = model; }
   void set_reset_pin(GPIOPin *reset_pin) { this->reset_pin_ = reset_pin; }
   void set_external_vcc(bool external_vcc) { this->external_vcc_ = external_vcc; }
+  void set_brightness(float brightness) { this->brightness_ = brightness; }
 
   float get_setup_priority() const override { return setup_priority::PROCESSOR; }
   void fill(int color) override;
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@ class SSD1306 : public PollingComponent, public display::DisplayBuffer {
   SSD1306Model model_{SSD1306_MODEL_128_64};
   GPIOPin *reset_pin_{nullptr};
   bool external_vcc_{false};
+  float brightness_{1.0};
 };
 
 }  // namespace ssd1306_base
diff --git a/tests/test1.yaml b/tests/test1.yaml
index fad67ada7e..f2adaa19fd 100644
--- a/tests/test1.yaml
+++ b/tests/test1.yaml
@@ -1298,10 +1298,11 @@ display:
     it.set_component_value("gauge", 50);
     it.set_component_text("textview", "Hello World!");
 - platform: ssd1306_i2c
-  model: "SSD1306 128x64"
+  model: "SSD1306_128X64"
   reset_pin: GPIO23
   address: 0x3C
   id: display1
+  brightness: 60%
   pages:
     - id: page1
       lambda: |-