[Ca2+]i must be low enough in diastole so that the ventricle is relaxed and can refill with blood. Interference with this will impair relaxation. The factors responsible for regulation of diastolic [Ca2+]i, in particular the relative roles of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and surface membrane are unclear. We investigated the effects on diastolic [Ca2+]i that result from the changes of Ca cycling known to occur in heart failure. Experiments were performed using Fluo‐3 in voltage‐clamped rat ventricular myocytes. Increasing stimulation frequency increased diastolic [Ca2+]i. This increase of [Ca2+]i was larger when SR function was impaired either by making the RyR leaky (with caffeine or ryanodine) or by decreasing SERCA activity with thapsigargin. The increase of diastolic [Ca2+]i produced by interfering with the SR was accompanied by a decrease of the amplitude of the systolic Ca transient such that there was no change of time‐averaged [Ca2+]i. Time‐averaged [Ca2+]i was increased by β‐adrenergic stimulation with isoprenaline and increased in a saturating manner with increased stimulation frequency; average [Ca2+]i was a linear function of Ca entry per unit time. Diastolic and time‐averaged [Ca2+]i were decreased by decreasing the L‐type Ca current (with 50 μm cadmium chloride). We conclude that diastolic [Ca2+]i is controlled by the balance between Ca entry and efflux during systole. Furthermore, manoeuvres which decrease the amplitude of the Ca transient (without decreasing Ca influx) will therefore increase diastolic [Ca2+]i. This identifies a novel mechanism whereby changes of the amplitude of the systolic Ca transient control diastolic [Ca2+]i. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved