diff --git a/esphome/components/globals/__init__.py b/esphome/components/globals/__init__.py
index 4dce6e7583..e7030978ed 100644
--- a/esphome/components/globals/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/globals/__init__.py
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ def globals_set_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
     full_id, paren = yield cg.get_variable_with_full_id(config[CONF_ID])
     template_arg = cg.TemplateArguments(full_id.type, *template_arg)
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, paren)
-    templ = yield cg.templatable(config[CONF_VALUE], args, None)
+    templ = yield cg.templatable(config[CONF_VALUE], args, None,
+                                 to_exp=cg.RawExpression)
     cg.add(var.set_value(templ))
     yield var
diff --git a/tests/test1.yaml b/tests/test1.yaml
index 2e92f817f8..e10e23042b 100644
--- a/tests/test1.yaml
+++ b/tests/test1.yaml
@@ -1277,6 +1277,9 @@ text_sensor:
       id: template_text
       state: |-
         return "Hello World2";
+  - globals.set:
+      id: glob_int
+      value: '0'
 - platform: template
   name: Template Text Sensor
   id: template_text