diff --git a/homeassistant/components/modbus/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/modbus/__init__.py
index 89a50862b6c..cc1b3c74356 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/modbus/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/modbus/__init__.py
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ BASE_STRUCT_SCHEMA = BASE_COMPONENT_SCHEMA.extend(
         vol.Optional(CONF_STRUCTURE): cv.string,
         vol.Optional(CONF_SCALE, default=1): number_validator,
         vol.Optional(CONF_OFFSET, default=0): number_validator,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_PRECISION, default=0): cv.positive_int,
+        vol.Optional(CONF_PRECISION): cv.positive_int,
         vol.Optional(
             CONF_SWAP,
         ): vol.In(
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/modbus/base_platform.py b/homeassistant/components/modbus/base_platform.py
index 1c7c8f65140..d3ec06bbdd7 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/modbus/base_platform.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/modbus/base_platform.py
@@ -185,10 +185,8 @@ class BaseStructPlatform(BasePlatform, RestoreEntity):
         self._swap = config[CONF_SWAP]
         self._data_type = config[CONF_DATA_TYPE]
         self._structure: str = config[CONF_STRUCTURE]
-        self._precision = config[CONF_PRECISION]
         self._scale = config[CONF_SCALE]
-        if self._scale < 1 and not self._precision:
-            self._precision = 2
+        self._precision = config.get(CONF_PRECISION, 2 if self._scale < 1 else 0)
         self._offset = config[CONF_OFFSET]
         self._slave_count = config.get(CONF_SLAVE_COUNT, None) or config.get(
             CONF_VIRTUAL_COUNT, 0