diff --git a/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/__init__.py b/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/__init__.py
index 210e2f7bab..27a47953b3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/__init__.py
@@ -80,11 +80,9 @@ async def grove_tb6612fng_run_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
 
     template_channel = await cg.templatable(config[CONF_CHANNEL], args, int)
     template_speed = await cg.templatable(config[CONF_SPEED], args, cg.uint16)
-    template_speed = (
-        template_speed if config[CONF_DIRECTION] == "FORWARD" else -template_speed
-    )
     cg.add(var.set_channel(template_channel))
     cg.add(var.set_speed(template_speed))
+    cg.add(var.set_direction(config[CONF_DIRECTION] == "FORWARD"))
     return var
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/grove_tb6612fng.h b/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/grove_tb6612fng.h
index a36cb85cff..bf47163226 100644
--- a/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/grove_tb6612fng.h
+++ b/esphome/components/grove_tb6612fng/grove_tb6612fng.h
@@ -168,11 +168,19 @@ class GROVETB6612FNGMotorRunAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Parented<Grove
   TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(uint8_t, channel)
   TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(uint16_t, speed)
 
+  void set_direction(bool forward) { this->forward_ = forward; }
+
   void play(const Ts &...x) override {
     auto channel = this->channel_.value(x...);
-    auto speed = this->speed_.value(x...);
+    int16_t speed = this->speed_.value(x...);
+    if (!this->forward_) {
+      speed = -speed;
+    }
     this->parent_->dc_motor_run(channel, speed);
   }
+
+ protected:
+  bool forward_{true};
 };
 
 template<typename... Ts>
diff --git a/tests/components/grove_tb6612fng/common.yaml b/tests/components/grove_tb6612fng/common.yaml
index 52d5ead96e..7c6d65e9a6 100644
--- a/tests/components/grove_tb6612fng/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/grove_tb6612fng/common.yaml
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ esphome:
           speed: 255
           direction: BACKWARD
           id: test_motor
+      - grove_tb6612fng.run:
+          channel: 0
+          speed: !lambda "return 200;"
+          direction: BACKWARD
+          id: test_motor
       - grove_tb6612fng.stop:
           channel: 1
           id: test_motor