diff --git a/esphome/components/fastled_base/fastled_light.h b/esphome/components/fastled_base/fastled_light.h
index 0729941e31..59d143dbef 100644
--- a/esphome/components/fastled_base/fastled_light.h
+++ b/esphome/components/fastled_base/fastled_light.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class FastLEDLightOutput : public light::AddressableLight {
     return *this->controller_;
   }
 
-  template<ESPIChipsets CHIPSET, uint8_t DATA_PIN, uint8_t CLOCK_PIN, EOrder RGB_ORDER, uint8_t SPI_DATA_RATE>
+  template<ESPIChipsets CHIPSET, uint8_t DATA_PIN, uint8_t CLOCK_PIN, EOrder RGB_ORDER, uint32_t SPI_DATA_RATE>
   CLEDController &add_leds(int num_leds) {
     switch (CHIPSET) {
       case LPD8806: {
diff --git a/esphome/components/fastled_spi/light.py b/esphome/components/fastled_spi/light.py
index 959c8a1b19..ef14c05738 100644
--- a/esphome/components/fastled_spi/light.py
+++ b/esphome/components/fastled_spi/light.py
@@ -2,7 +2,8 @@ import esphome.codegen as cg
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome import pins
 from esphome.components import fastled_base
-from esphome.const import CONF_CHIPSET, CONF_CLOCK_PIN, CONF_DATA_PIN, CONF_NUM_LEDS, CONF_RGB_ORDER
+from esphome.const import CONF_CHIPSET, CONF_CLOCK_PIN, CONF_DATA_PIN, CONF_DATA_RATE, \
+        CONF_NUM_LEDS, CONF_RGB_ORDER
 
 AUTO_LOAD = ['fastled_base']
 
@@ -21,15 +22,24 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = fastled_base.BASE_SCHEMA.extend({
     cv.Required(CONF_CHIPSET): cv.one_of(*CHIPSETS, upper=True),
     cv.Required(CONF_DATA_PIN): pins.output_pin,
     cv.Required(CONF_CLOCK_PIN): pins.output_pin,
+    cv.Optional(CONF_DATA_RATE): cv.frequency,
 })
 
 
 def to_code(config):
     var = yield fastled_base.new_fastled_light(config)
 
-    rgb_order = None
-    if CONF_RGB_ORDER in config:
-        rgb_order = cg.RawExpression(config[CONF_RGB_ORDER])
+    rgb_order = cg.RawExpression(config[CONF_RGB_ORDER] if CONF_RGB_ORDER in config else "RGB")
+    data_rate = None
+
+    if CONF_DATA_RATE in config:
+        data_rate_khz = int(config[CONF_DATA_RATE] / 1000)
+        if data_rate_khz < 1000:
+            data_rate = cg.RawExpression(f"DATA_RATE_KHZ({data_rate_khz})")
+        else:
+            data_rate_mhz = int(data_rate_khz / 1000)
+            data_rate = cg.RawExpression(f"DATA_RATE_MHZ({data_rate_mhz})")
     template_args = cg.TemplateArguments(cg.RawExpression(config[CONF_CHIPSET]),
-                                         config[CONF_DATA_PIN], config[CONF_CLOCK_PIN], rgb_order)
+                                         config[CONF_DATA_PIN], config[CONF_CLOCK_PIN], rgb_order,
+                                         data_rate)
     cg.add(var.add_leds(template_args, config[CONF_NUM_LEDS]))
diff --git a/esphome/const.py b/esphome/const.py
index 4d45d68839..e42da2e178 100644
--- a/esphome/const.py
+++ b/esphome/const.py
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ CONF_DALLAS_ID = 'dallas_id'
 CONF_DATA = 'data'
 CONF_DATA_PIN = 'data_pin'
 CONF_DATA_PINS = 'data_pins'
+CONF_DATA_RATE = 'data_rate'
 CONF_DATA_TEMPLATE = 'data_template'
 CONF_DAYS_OF_MONTH = 'days_of_month'
 CONF_DAYS_OF_WEEK = 'days_of_week'
diff --git a/tests/test1.yaml b/tests/test1.yaml
index 10e35594fe..6208f8ec70 100644
--- a/tests/test1.yaml
+++ b/tests/test1.yaml
@@ -1230,6 +1230,7 @@ light:
     chipset: WS2801
     data_pin: GPIO23
     clock_pin: GPIO22
+    data_rate: 2MHz
     num_leds: 60
     rgb_order: BRG
     name: "FastLED SPI Light"