diff --git a/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.cpp b/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.cpp
index 09ff61827c..c139c56ce4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ namespace t6615 {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "t6615";
 
-static const uint8_t T6615_RESPONSE_BUFFER_LENGTH = 32;
+static const uint32_t T6615_TIMEOUT = 1000;
 static const uint8_t T6615_MAGIC = 0xFF;
 static const uint8_t T6615_ADDR_HOST = 0xFA;
 static const uint8_t T6615_ADDR_SENSOR = 0xFE;
@@ -19,31 +19,49 @@ static const uint8_t T6615_COMMAND_ENABLE_ABC[] = {0xB7, 0x01};
 static const uint8_t T6615_COMMAND_DISABLE_ABC[] = {0xB7, 0x02};
 static const uint8_t T6615_COMMAND_SET_ELEVATION[] = {0x03, 0x0F};
 
-void T6615Component::loop() {
-  if (!this->available())
-    return;
+void T6615Component::send_ppm_command_() {
+  this->command_time_ = millis();
+  this->command_ = T6615Command::GET_PPM;
+  this->write_byte(T6615_MAGIC);
+  this->write_byte(T6615_ADDR_SENSOR);
+  this->write_byte(sizeof(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM));
+  this->write_array(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM, sizeof(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM));
+}
 
-  // Read header
-  uint8_t header[3];
-  this->read_array(header, 3);
-  if (header[0] != T6615_MAGIC || header[1] != T6615_ADDR_HOST) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Reading data from T6615 failed!");
-    while (this->available())
-      this->read();  // Clear the incoming buffer
-    this->status_set_warning();
+void T6615Component::loop() {
+  if (this->available() < 5) {
+    if (this->command_ == T6615Command::GET_PPM && millis() - this->command_time_ > T6615_TIMEOUT) {
+      /* command got eaten, clear the buffer and fire another */
+      while (this->available())
+        this->read();
+      this->send_ppm_command_();
+    }
     return;
   }
 
-  // Read body
-  uint8_t length = header[2];
-  uint8_t response[T6615_RESPONSE_BUFFER_LENGTH];
-  this->read_array(response, length);
+  uint8_t response_buffer[6];
+
+  /* by the time we get here, we know we have at least five bytes in the buffer */
+  this->read_array(response_buffer, 5);
+
+  // Read header
+  if (response_buffer[0] != T6615_MAGIC || response_buffer[1] != T6615_ADDR_HOST) {
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Got bad data from T6615! Magic was %02X and address was %02X", response_buffer[0],
+             response_buffer[1]);
+    /* make sure the buffer is empty */
+    while (this->available())
+      this->read();
+    /* try again to read the sensor */
+    this->send_ppm_command_();
+    this->status_set_warning();
+    return;
+  }
 
   this->status_clear_warning();
 
   switch (this->command_) {
     case T6615Command::GET_PPM: {
-      const uint16_t ppm = encode_uint16(response[0], response[1]);
+      const uint16_t ppm = encode_uint16(response_buffer[3], response_buffer[4]);
       ESP_LOGD(TAG, "T6615 Received CO₂=%uppm", ppm);
       this->co2_sensor_->publish_state(ppm);
       break;
@@ -51,23 +69,19 @@ void T6615Component::loop() {
     default:
       break;
   }
-
+  this->command_time_ = 0;
   this->command_ = T6615Command::NONE;
 }
 
 void T6615Component::update() { this->query_ppm_(); }
 
 void T6615Component::query_ppm_() {
-  if (this->co2_sensor_ == nullptr || this->command_ != T6615Command::NONE) {
+  if (this->co2_sensor_ == nullptr ||
+      (this->command_ != T6615Command::NONE && millis() - this->command_time_ < T6615_TIMEOUT)) {
     return;
   }
 
-  this->command_ = T6615Command::GET_PPM;
-
-  this->write_byte(T6615_MAGIC);
-  this->write_byte(T6615_ADDR_SENSOR);
-  this->write_byte(sizeof(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM));
-  this->write_array(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM, sizeof(T6615_COMMAND_GET_PPM));
+  this->send_ppm_command_();
 }
 
 float T6615Component::get_setup_priority() const { return setup_priority::DATA; }
diff --git a/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.h b/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.h
index a7da3b4cf6..a075685023 100644
--- a/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.h
+++ b/esphome/components/t6615/t6615.h
@@ -32,8 +32,10 @@ class T6615Component : public PollingComponent, public uart::UARTDevice {
 
  protected:
   void query_ppm_();
+  void send_ppm_command_();
 
   T6615Command command_ = T6615Command::NONE;
+  unsigned long command_time_ = 0;
 
   sensor::Sensor *co2_sensor_{nullptr};
 };