diff --git a/esphome/components/sensor/__init__.py b/esphome/components/sensor/__init__.py
index 3b632a1847..62d78a32dd 100644
--- a/esphome/components/sensor/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/sensor/__init__.py
@@ -256,7 +256,6 @@ SensorPtr = Sensor.operator("ptr")
 ValueRangeTrigger = sensor_ns.class_(
     "ValueRangeTrigger", automation.Trigger.template(cg.float_), cg.Component
 )
-SensorPublishAction = sensor_ns.class_("SensorPublishAction", automation.Action)
 
 # Filters
 Filter = sensor_ns.class_("Filter")
diff --git a/esphome/components/sensor/automation.h b/esphome/components/sensor/automation.h
index 35a4a29e0d..0821063434 100644
--- a/esphome/components/sensor/automation.h
+++ b/esphome/components/sensor/automation.h
@@ -20,17 +20,6 @@ class SensorRawStateTrigger final : public Trigger<float> {
   }
 };
 
-template<typename... Ts> class SensorPublishAction final : public Action<Ts...> {
- public:
-  SensorPublishAction(Sensor *sensor) : sensor_(sensor) {}
-  TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(float, state)
-
-  void play(const Ts &...x) override { this->sensor_->publish_state(this->state_.value(x...)); }
-
- protected:
-  Sensor *sensor_;
-};
-
 class ValueRangeTrigger final : public Trigger<float>, public Component {
  public:
   explicit ValueRangeTrigger(Sensor *parent) : parent_(parent) {}
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/sensor/__init__.py b/esphome/components/template/sensor/__init__.py
index 55537a5636..f831f87d92 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/sensor/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/template/sensor/__init__.py
@@ -49,20 +49,13 @@ async def to_code(config):
         cg.add(var.set_template(template_))
 
 
-@automation.register_action(
+automation.register_apply_action(
     "sensor.template.publish",
-    sensor.SensorPublishAction,
     cv.Schema(
         {
             cv.Required(CONF_ID): cv.use_id(sensor.Sensor),
             cv.Required(CONF_STATE): cv.templatable(cv.float_),
         }
     ),
-    synchronous=True,
+    automation.ApplyField(CONF_STATE, "publish_state", cg.float_),
 )
-async def sensor_template_publish_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
-    paren = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_ID])
-    var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, paren)
-    template_ = await cg.templatable(config[CONF_STATE], args, cg.float_)
-    cg.add(var.set_state(template_))
-    return var
diff --git a/tests/components/sensor/common.yaml b/tests/components/sensor/common.yaml
index 1961c98685..b8f5183588 100644
--- a/tests/components/sensor/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/sensor/common.yaml
@@ -5,6 +5,17 @@ sensor:
     id: source_sensor
     lambda: return 42.0;
     update_interval: 1s
+    on_value:
+      - sensor.template.publish:
+          id: publish_target
+          state: 42.0
+      - sensor.template.publish:
+          id: publish_target
+          state: !lambda "return x * 2.0;"
+
+  - platform: template
+    name: "Publish Target"
+    id: publish_target
 
   # Streaming filters (window_size == send_every) - uses StreamingFilter base class
   - platform: copy