diff --git a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
index 1ece670ed2..b3f96c6ff6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ void RuntimeStatsCollector::log_stats_() {
   }
 
   // Sort by period runtime (descending)
-  std::sort(sorted, sorted + count, [](Component *a, Component *b) {
-    return a->runtime_stats_.period_time_us > b->runtime_stats_.period_time_us;
-  });
+  std::sort(sorted, sorted + count, compare_period_time_);
 
   // Log top components by period runtime
   for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++) {
@@ -64,9 +62,7 @@ void RuntimeStatsCollector::log_stats_() {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, " Total stats (since boot): %zu active components", count);
 
   // Re-sort by total runtime for all-time stats
-  std::sort(sorted, sorted + count, [](Component *a, Component *b) {
-    return a->runtime_stats_.total_time_us > b->runtime_stats_.total_time_us;
-  });
+  std::sort(sorted, sorted + count, compare_total_time_);
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < count; i++) {
     const auto &stats = sorted[i]->runtime_stats_;
@@ -82,6 +78,14 @@ void RuntimeStatsCollector::log_stats_() {
   }
 }
 
+bool RuntimeStatsCollector::compare_period_time_(Component *a, Component *b) {
+  return a->runtime_stats_.period_time_us > b->runtime_stats_.period_time_us;
+}
+
+bool RuntimeStatsCollector::compare_total_time_(Component *a, Component *b) {
+  return a->runtime_stats_.total_time_us > b->runtime_stats_.total_time_us;
+}
+
 void RuntimeStatsCollector::process_pending_stats(uint32_t current_time) {
   if ((int32_t) (current_time - this->next_log_time_) >= 0) {
     this->log_stats_();
diff --git a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
index f81ca83e38..5f7c59d0b5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
+++ b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ class RuntimeStatsCollector {
 
  protected:
   void log_stats_();
+  // Static comparators — member functions have friend access, lambdas do not
+  static bool compare_period_time_(Component *a, Component *b);
+  static bool compare_total_time_(Component *a, Component *b);
 
   uint32_t log_interval_;
   uint32_t next_log_time_{0};
diff --git a/esphome/core/application.h b/esphome/core/application.h
index 06ff30e81f..6cc61bc954 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.h
+++ b/esphome/core/application.h
@@ -130,6 +130,12 @@ bool socket_ready_fd(int fd, bool loop_monitored);  // NOLINT(readability-redund
 #endif
 }  // namespace esphome::socket
 
+#ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
+namespace esphome::runtime_stats {
+class RuntimeStatsCollector;
+}  // namespace esphome::runtime_stats
+#endif
+
 // Forward declarations for friend access from codegen-generated setup()
 void setup();           // NOLINT(readability-redundant-declaration) - may be declared in Arduino.h
 void original_setup();  // NOLINT(readability-redundant-declaration) - used by cpp unit tests
@@ -590,6 +596,9 @@ class Application {
   friend Component;
 #if defined(USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT) && !defined(USE_LWIP_FAST_SELECT)
   friend bool socket::socket_ready_fd(int fd, bool loop_monitored);
+#endif
+#ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
+  friend class runtime_stats::RuntimeStatsCollector;
 #endif
   friend void ::setup();
   friend void ::original_setup();
diff --git a/esphome/core/component.h b/esphome/core/component.h
index e85f45bbf5..2b2ae78f55 100644
--- a/esphome/core/component.h
+++ b/esphome/core/component.h
@@ -20,6 +20,12 @@ namespace esphome {
 // Forward declaration for LogString
 struct LogString;
 
+#ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
+namespace runtime_stats {
+class RuntimeStatsCollector;
+}  // namespace runtime_stats
+#endif
+
 /** Default setup priorities for components of different types.
  *
  * Components should return one of these setup priorities in get_setup_priority.
@@ -561,6 +567,7 @@ class Component {
   uint8_t component_state_{0x00};
   volatile bool pending_enable_loop_{false};  ///< ISR-safe flag for enable_loop_soon_any_context
 #ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
+  friend class runtime_stats::RuntimeStatsCollector;
   ComponentRuntimeStats runtime_stats_;
 #endif
 };