diff --git a/esphome/core/component.h b/esphome/core/component.h
index 3307c5ae76..9e339dce64 100644
--- a/esphome/core/component.h
+++ b/esphome/core/component.h
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ class Component {
  */
 class PollingComponent : public Component {
  public:
-  PollingComponent() : PollingComponent(0) {}
+  PollingComponent() : PollingComponent(1) {}
 
   /** Initialize this polling component with the given update interval in ms.
    *