diff --git a/src/components/ha-selector/ha-selector-template.ts b/src/components/ha-selector/ha-selector-template.ts
index 80047498c7..50f6e039ed 100644
--- a/src/components/ha-selector/ha-selector-template.ts
+++ b/src/components/ha-selector/ha-selector-template.ts
@@ -69,11 +69,14 @@ export class HaTemplateSelector extends LitElement {
   }
 
   private _handleChange(ev) {
-    const value = ev.target.value;
+    let value = ev.target.value;
     if (this.value === value) {
       return;
     }
     this.warn = WARNING_STRINGS.find((str) => value.includes(str));
+    if (value === "" && !this.required) {
+      value = undefined;
+    }
     fireEvent(this, "value-changed", { value });
   }