diff --git a/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.cpp b/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.cpp
index d26b7a17503..87bae5b1da4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace wled {
 // https://github.com/Aircoookie/WLED/wiki/UDP-Realtime-Control
 enum Protocol { WLED_NOTIFIER = 0, WARLS = 1, DRGB = 2, DRGBW = 3, DNRGB = 4 };
 
-const int DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME = 1000;
+constexpr uint32_t DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME = 1000;
 
 static const char *const TAG = "wled_light_effect";
 
@@ -34,9 +34,10 @@ void WLEDLightEffect::start() {
   AddressableLightEffect::start();
 
   if (this->blank_on_start_) {
-    this->blank_at_ = 0;
+    this->blank_start_ = millis();
+    this->blank_timeout_ = 0;
   } else {
-    this->blank_at_ = UINT32_MAX;
+    this->blank_start_.reset();
   }
 }
 
@@ -81,10 +82,10 @@ void WLEDLightEffect::apply(light::AddressableLight &it, const Color &current_co
     }
   }
 
-  // FIXME: Use roll-over safe arithmetic
-  if (blank_at_ < millis()) {
+  if (this->blank_start_.has_value() && millis() - *this->blank_start_ >= this->blank_timeout_) {
     blank_all_leds_(it);
-    blank_at_ = millis() + DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME;
+    this->blank_start_ = millis();
+    this->blank_timeout_ = DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME;
   }
 }
 
@@ -142,11 +143,13 @@ bool WLEDLightEffect::parse_frame_(light::AddressableLight &it, const uint8_t *p
   }
 
   if (timeout == UINT8_MAX) {
-    blank_at_ = UINT32_MAX;
+    this->blank_start_.reset();
   } else if (timeout > 0) {
-    blank_at_ = millis() + timeout * 1000;
+    this->blank_start_ = millis();
+    this->blank_timeout_ = timeout * 1000;
   } else {
-    blank_at_ = millis() + DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME;
+    this->blank_start_ = millis();
+    this->blank_timeout_ = DEFAULT_BLANK_TIME;
   }
 
   it.schedule_show();
diff --git a/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.h b/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.h
index 6da5f4e9f9c..3f3b7106119 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wled/wled_light_effect.h
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ class WLEDLightEffect : public light::AddressableLightEffect {
 
   uint16_t port_{0};
   std::unique_ptr<UDP> udp_;
-  uint32_t blank_at_{0};
+  optional<uint32_t> blank_start_{};
+  uint32_t blank_timeout_{0};
   uint32_t dropped_{0};
   uint8_t sync_group_mask_{0};
   bool blank_on_start_{true};