diff --git a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome_noise.cpp b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome_noise.cpp
index 6da0808bad..fe0a322c4d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome_noise.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome_noise.cpp
@@ -41,15 +41,10 @@ ESPHomeOTAComponent::NoiseSession::~NoiseSession() {
  *   "NoiseOTAInit" | magic(5) | OK,version | client_features | FEATURE_FLAGS,server_flags
  */
 bool ESPHomeOTAComponent::noise_start_session_(uint8_t server_feature_flags) {
-#ifdef USE_OTA_ENCRYPTION_PROVISIONED
-  // The key can be cleared between the offer and the client taking it; a
-  // missing key must not turn into a handshake on the all-zeros key
-  if (!this->noise_context_().has_psk()) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Key cleared");
-    this->cleanup_connection_();
-    return false;
-  }
-#endif
+  // Not guarded against a provisioned key being cleared between the offer and
+  // here: the clear is deferred 100 ms and the ack write rarely blocks, and a
+  // session on the zero key that load_psk then fills in fails the real
+  // client's MAC. Yaml keys cannot change, so no check is needed there.
   // Default-init: the frame buffer is always written before it is read, so
   // skip zeroing its 132 bytes
   // NOLINTNEXTLINE(clang-analyzer-cplusplus.NewDeleteLeaks)