diff --git a/homeassistant/components/template/binary_sensor.py b/homeassistant/components/template/binary_sensor.py
index 7de43ea0702..8991ce4c65b 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/template/binary_sensor.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/template/binary_sensor.py
@@ -103,12 +103,8 @@ async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=
                 attribute_templates,
             )
         )
-    if not sensors:
-        _LOGGER.error("No sensors added")
-        return False
 
     async_add_entities(sensors)
-    return True
 
 
 class BinarySensorTemplate(BinarySensorDevice):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/template/cover.py b/homeassistant/components/template/cover.py
index 870e4035c2f..14fc6996378 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/template/cover.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/template/cover.py
@@ -65,30 +65,33 @@ TILT_FEATURES = (
     | SUPPORT_SET_TILT_POSITION
 )
 
-COVER_SCHEMA = vol.Schema(
-    {
-        vol.Inclusive(OPEN_ACTION, CONF_OPEN_OR_CLOSE): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Inclusive(CLOSE_ACTION, CONF_OPEN_OR_CLOSE): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Optional(STOP_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Exclusive(
-            CONF_POSITION_TEMPLATE, CONF_VALUE_OR_POSITION_TEMPLATE
-        ): cv.template,
-        vol.Exclusive(
-            CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, CONF_VALUE_OR_POSITION_TEMPLATE
-        ): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_AVAILABILITY_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_POSITION_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_ICON_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_ENTITY_PICTURE_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_DEVICE_CLASS): DEVICE_CLASSES_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_OPTIMISTIC): cv.boolean,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_OPTIMISTIC): cv.boolean,
-        vol.Optional(POSITION_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Optional(TILT_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_FRIENDLY_NAME): cv.string,
-        vol.Optional(CONF_ENTITY_ID): cv.entity_ids,
-    }
+COVER_SCHEMA = vol.All(
+    vol.Schema(
+        {
+            vol.Inclusive(OPEN_ACTION, CONF_OPEN_OR_CLOSE): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Inclusive(CLOSE_ACTION, CONF_OPEN_OR_CLOSE): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Optional(STOP_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Exclusive(
+                CONF_POSITION_TEMPLATE, CONF_VALUE_OR_POSITION_TEMPLATE
+            ): cv.template,
+            vol.Exclusive(
+                CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE, CONF_VALUE_OR_POSITION_TEMPLATE
+            ): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_AVAILABILITY_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_POSITION_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_ICON_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_ENTITY_PICTURE_TEMPLATE): cv.template,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_DEVICE_CLASS): DEVICE_CLASSES_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_OPTIMISTIC): cv.boolean,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_TILT_OPTIMISTIC): cv.boolean,
+            vol.Optional(POSITION_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Optional(TILT_ACTION): cv.SCRIPT_SCHEMA,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_FRIENDLY_NAME): cv.string,
+            vol.Optional(CONF_ENTITY_ID): cv.entity_ids,
+        }
+    ),
+    cv.has_at_least_one_key(OPEN_ACTION, POSITION_ACTION),
 )
 
 PLATFORM_SCHEMA = PLATFORM_SCHEMA.extend(
@@ -118,12 +121,6 @@ async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=
         optimistic = device_config.get(CONF_OPTIMISTIC)
         tilt_optimistic = device_config.get(CONF_TILT_OPTIMISTIC)
 
-        if position_action is None and open_action is None:
-            _LOGGER.error(
-                "Must specify at least one of %s" or "%s", OPEN_ACTION, POSITION_ACTION
-            )
-            continue
-
         templates = {
             CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE: state_template,
             CONF_POSITION_TEMPLATE: position_template,
@@ -160,12 +157,8 @@ async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=
                 entity_ids,
             )
         )
-    if not covers:
-        _LOGGER.error("No covers added")
-        return False
 
     async_add_entities(covers)
-    return True
 
 
 class CoverTemplate(CoverDevice):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/template/light.py b/homeassistant/components/template/light.py
index a6855a1654b..7948782479b 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/template/light.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/template/light.py
@@ -131,12 +131,7 @@ async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=
             )
         )
 
-    if not lights:
-        _LOGGER.error("No lights added")
-        return False
-
     async_add_entities(lights)
-    return True
 
 
 class LightTemplate(Light):
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/template/switch.py b/homeassistant/components/template/switch.py
index c2d8e8158c1..f96ed5479b9 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/template/switch.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/template/switch.py
@@ -93,12 +93,7 @@ async def async_setup_platform(hass, config, async_add_entities, discovery_info=
             )
         )
 
-    if not switches:
-        _LOGGER.error("No switches added")
-        return False
-
     async_add_entities(switches)
-    return True
 
 
 class SwitchTemplate(SwitchDevice):
diff --git a/tests/components/template/test_cover.py b/tests/components/template/test_cover.py
index 9980691085b..5109607d799 100644
--- a/tests/components/template/test_cover.py
+++ b/tests/components/template/test_cover.py
@@ -270,26 +270,22 @@ async def test_template_mutex(hass, calls):
     assert hass.states.async_all() == []
 
 
-async def test_template_open_or_position(hass, calls):
+async def test_template_open_or_position(hass, caplog):
     """Test that at least one of open_cover or set_position is used."""
-    with assert_setup_component(1, "cover"):
-        assert await setup.async_setup_component(
-            hass,
-            "cover",
-            {
-                "cover": {
-                    "platform": "template",
-                    "covers": {
-                        "test_template_cover": {"value_template": "{{ 1 == 1 }}"}
-                    },
-                }
-            },
-        )
-
-    await hass.async_start()
+    assert await setup.async_setup_component(
+        hass,
+        "cover",
+        {
+            "cover": {
+                "platform": "template",
+                "covers": {"test_template_cover": {"value_template": "{{ 1 == 1 }}"}},
+            }
+        },
+    )
     await hass.async_block_till_done()
 
     assert hass.states.async_all() == []
+    assert "Invalid config for [cover.template]" in caplog.text
 
 
 async def test_template_open_and_close(hass, calls):