diff --git a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/cover.py b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/cover.py
index e1ad21564b5..17385e77ec3 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/cover.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/cover.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ CONF_SET_POSITION_TEMPLATE = 'set_position_template'
 CONF_SET_POSITION_TOPIC = 'set_position_topic'
 CONF_TILT_COMMAND_TOPIC = 'tilt_command_topic'
 CONF_TILT_STATUS_TOPIC = 'tilt_status_topic'
+CONF_TILT_STATUS_TEMPLATE = 'tilt_status_template'
 
 CONF_PAYLOAD_CLOSE = 'payload_close'
 CONF_PAYLOAD_OPEN = 'payload_open'
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ PLATFORM_SCHEMA = vol.All(mqtt.MQTT_BASE_PLATFORM_SCHEMA.extend({
     vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_STATE_OPTIMISTIC,
                  default=DEFAULT_TILT_OPTIMISTIC): cv.boolean,
     vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_STATUS_TOPIC): mqtt.valid_subscribe_topic,
+    vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_STATUS_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
     vol.Optional(CONF_UNIQUE_ID): cv.string,
     vol.Optional(CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
 }).extend(mqtt.MQTT_AVAILABILITY_SCHEMA.schema).extend(
@@ -203,17 +205,26 @@ class MqttCover(MqttAttributes, MqttAvailability, MqttDiscoveryUpdate,
         set_position_template = self._config.get(CONF_SET_POSITION_TEMPLATE)
         if set_position_template is not None:
             set_position_template.hass = self.hass
+        tilt_status_template = self._config.get(CONF_TILT_STATUS_TEMPLATE)
+        if tilt_status_template is not None:
+            tilt_status_template.hass = self.hass
 
         topics = {}
 
         @callback
         def tilt_updated(msg):
             """Handle tilt updates."""
-            if (msg.payload.isnumeric() and
-                    (self._config[CONF_TILT_MIN] <= int(msg.payload) <=
+            payload = msg.payload
+            if tilt_status_template is not None:
+                payload = \
+                    tilt_status_template.async_render_with_possible_json_value(
+                        payload)
+
+            if (payload.isnumeric() and
+                    (self._config[CONF_TILT_MIN] <= int(payload) <=
                      self._config[CONF_TILT_MAX])):
 
-                level = self.find_percentage_in_range(float(msg.payload))
+                level = self.find_percentage_in_range(float(payload))
                 self._tilt_value = level
                 self.async_write_ha_state()
 
diff --git a/tests/components/mqtt/test_cover.py b/tests/components/mqtt/test_cover.py
index 8bf136c6f0f..91b0355ad22 100644
--- a/tests/components/mqtt/test_cover.py
+++ b/tests/components/mqtt/test_cover.py
@@ -603,6 +603,39 @@ async def test_tilt_via_topic(hass, mqtt_mock):
     assert current_cover_tilt_position == 50
 
 
+async def test_tilt_via_topic_template(hass, mqtt_mock):
+    """Test tilt by updating status via MQTT and template."""
+    assert await async_setup_component(hass, cover.DOMAIN, {
+        cover.DOMAIN: {
+            'platform': 'mqtt',
+            'name': 'test',
+            'state_topic': 'state-topic',
+            'command_topic': 'command-topic',
+            'qos': 0,
+            'payload_open': 'OPEN',
+            'payload_close': 'CLOSE',
+            'payload_stop': 'STOP',
+            'tilt_command_topic': 'tilt-command-topic',
+            'tilt_status_topic': 'tilt-status-topic',
+            'tilt_status_template': '{{ (value | multiply(0.01)) | int }}',
+            'tilt_opened_value': 400,
+            'tilt_closed_value': 125
+        }
+    })
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'tilt-status-topic', '99')
+
+    current_cover_tilt_position = hass.states.get(
+        'cover.test').attributes['current_tilt_position']
+    assert current_cover_tilt_position == 0
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'tilt-status-topic', '5000')
+
+    current_cover_tilt_position = hass.states.get(
+        'cover.test').attributes['current_tilt_position']
+    assert current_cover_tilt_position == 50
+
+
 async def test_tilt_via_topic_altered_range(hass, mqtt_mock):
     """Test tilt status via MQTT with altered tilt range."""
     assert await async_setup_component(hass, cover.DOMAIN, {
@@ -643,6 +676,47 @@ async def test_tilt_via_topic_altered_range(hass, mqtt_mock):
     assert current_cover_tilt_position == 50
 
 
+async def test_tilt_via_topic_template_altered_range(hass, mqtt_mock):
+    """Test tilt status via MQTT and template with altered tilt range."""
+    assert await async_setup_component(hass, cover.DOMAIN, {
+        cover.DOMAIN: {
+            'platform': 'mqtt',
+            'name': 'test',
+            'state_topic': 'state-topic',
+            'command_topic': 'command-topic',
+            'qos': 0,
+            'payload_open': 'OPEN',
+            'payload_close': 'CLOSE',
+            'payload_stop': 'STOP',
+            'tilt_command_topic': 'tilt-command-topic',
+            'tilt_status_topic': 'tilt-status-topic',
+            'tilt_status_template': '{{ (value | multiply(0.01)) | int }}',
+            'tilt_opened_value': 400,
+            'tilt_closed_value': 125,
+            'tilt_min': 0,
+            'tilt_max': 50
+        }
+    })
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'tilt-status-topic', '99')
+
+    current_cover_tilt_position = hass.states.get(
+        'cover.test').attributes['current_tilt_position']
+    assert current_cover_tilt_position == 0
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'tilt-status-topic', '5000')
+
+    current_cover_tilt_position = hass.states.get(
+        'cover.test').attributes['current_tilt_position']
+    assert current_cover_tilt_position == 100
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'tilt-status-topic', '2500')
+
+    current_cover_tilt_position = hass.states.get(
+        'cover.test').attributes['current_tilt_position']
+    assert current_cover_tilt_position == 50
+
+
 async def test_tilt_position(hass, mqtt_mock):
     """Test tilt via method invocation."""
     assert await async_setup_component(hass, cover.DOMAIN, {