diff --git a/homeassistant/components/harmony/remote.py b/homeassistant/components/harmony/remote.py
index 4ea199bdcd1..78f2674243c 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/harmony/remote.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/harmony/remote.py
@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@ import voluptuous as vol
 
 from homeassistant.components import remote
 from homeassistant.components.remote import (
-    ATTR_ACTIVITY, ATTR_DELAY_SECS, ATTR_DEVICE, ATTR_NUM_REPEATS,
-    DEFAULT_DELAY_SECS, DOMAIN, PLATFORM_SCHEMA
-)
+    ATTR_ACTIVITY, ATTR_DELAY_SECS, ATTR_DEVICE, ATTR_HOLD_SECS,
+    ATTR_NUM_REPEATS, DEFAULT_DELAY_SECS, DOMAIN, PLATFORM_SCHEMA)
 from homeassistant.const import (
     ATTR_ENTITY_ID, CONF_HOST, CONF_NAME, CONF_PORT, EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STOP
 )
@@ -340,8 +339,12 @@ class HarmonyRemote(remote.RemoteDevice):
             _LOGGER.error("%s: Device %s is invalid", self.name, device)
             return
 
-        num_repeats = kwargs.get(ATTR_NUM_REPEATS)
+        num_repeats = kwargs[ATTR_NUM_REPEATS]
         delay_secs = kwargs.get(ATTR_DELAY_SECS, self._delay_secs)
+        hold_secs = kwargs[ATTR_HOLD_SECS]
+        _LOGGER.debug("Sending commands to device %s holding for %s seconds "
+                      "with a delay of %s seconds",
+                      device, hold_secs, delay_secs)
 
         # Creating list of commands to send.
         snd_cmnd_list = []
@@ -350,7 +353,7 @@ class HarmonyRemote(remote.RemoteDevice):
                 send_command = SendCommandDevice(
                     device=device_id,
                     command=single_command,
-                    delay=0
+                    delay=hold_secs
                 )
                 snd_cmnd_list.append(send_command)
                 if delay_secs > 0:
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/remote/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/remote/__init__.py
index b7923596039..de79adc9f0e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/remote/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/remote/__init__.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ ATTR_COMMAND = 'command'
 ATTR_DEVICE = 'device'
 ATTR_NUM_REPEATS = 'num_repeats'
 ATTR_DELAY_SECS = 'delay_secs'
+ATTR_HOLD_SECS = 'hold_secs'
 
 DOMAIN = 'remote'
 DEPENDENCIES = ['group']
@@ -40,6 +41,7 @@ SERVICE_SYNC = 'sync'
 
 DEFAULT_NUM_REPEATS = 1
 DEFAULT_DELAY_SECS = 0.4
+DEFAULT_HOLD_SECS = 0
 
 REMOTE_SERVICE_SCHEMA = vol.Schema({
     vol.Optional(ATTR_ENTITY_ID): cv.comp_entity_ids,
@@ -55,6 +57,7 @@ REMOTE_SERVICE_SEND_COMMAND_SCHEMA = REMOTE_SERVICE_SCHEMA.extend({
     vol.Optional(
         ATTR_NUM_REPEATS, default=DEFAULT_NUM_REPEATS): cv.positive_int,
     vol.Optional(ATTR_DELAY_SECS): vol.Coerce(float),
+    vol.Optional(ATTR_HOLD_SECS, default=DEFAULT_HOLD_SECS): vol.Coerce(float),
 })
 
 
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/remote/services.yaml b/homeassistant/components/remote/services.yaml
index 1fb4b048707..62615f28714 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/remote/services.yaml
+++ b/homeassistant/components/remote/services.yaml
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ send_command:
     delay_secs:
       description: An optional value that specifies that number of seconds you want to wait in between repeated commands. If not specified, the default of 0.4 seconds will be used.
       example: '0.75'
+    hold_secs:
+      description: An optional value that specifies that number of seconds you want to have it held before the release is send. If not specified, the release will be send immediately after the press.
+      example: '2.5'
+
 
 harmony_sync:
   description: Syncs the remote's configuration.