diff --git a/esphome/components/socket/tcp_client_link.h b/esphome/components/socket/tcp_client_link.h
index f77ee050555..517a83375df 100644
--- a/esphome/components/socket/tcp_client_link.h
+++ b/esphome/components/socket/tcp_client_link.h
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ class TcpClientLink {
   void close();
 
   bool connected() const { return this->connected_; }
+  /// A connect attempt is in flight.
+  bool connecting() const { return this->sock_ != nullptr && !this->connected_; }
   bool ready() const { return this->sock_ != nullptr && this->sock_->ready(); }
   /// Shared retry clock, also usable for a listen socket.
   void note_attempt() { this->last_attempt_ms_ = App.get_loop_component_start_time(); }
diff --git a/tests/components/socket/test_tcp_client_link_host.cpp b/tests/components/socket/test_tcp_client_link_host.cpp
index 98be8190b00..a5be9225e52 100644
--- a/tests/components/socket/test_tcp_client_link_host.cpp
+++ b/tests/components/socket/test_tcp_client_link_host.cpp
@@ -102,6 +102,19 @@ TEST_F(TcpClientLinkClock, PendingConnectTimesOutIntoBackoff) {
   EXPECT_TRUE(this->link_.in_backoff());
 }
 
+TEST_F(TcpClientLinkClock, ConnectingUntilThePendingAttemptEnds) {
+  this->link_.begin("link_test");
+  EXPECT_FALSE(this->link_.connecting());
+  this->set_pending_socket();
+  this->link_.note_attempt();
+  this->link_.poll();
+  EXPECT_TRUE(this->link_.connecting());
+  set_loop_time(1000 + 10000);
+  this->link_.poll();
+  EXPECT_FALSE(this->link_.connecting());
+  EXPECT_FALSE(this->link_.connected());
+}
+
 TEST_F(TcpClientLinkClock, ConnectTimeoutFollowsALongerInterval) {
   this->link_.set_reconnect_interval(20000);
   this->link_.begin("link_test");
@@ -177,6 +190,7 @@ TEST_F(TcpClientLinkClock, BackoffSpansAMillisWrap) {
 TEST(TcpClientLink, AdoptedSocketFlushesQueuedBytes) {
   LinkPeer p;
   ASSERT_TRUE(p.link_.connected());
+  EXPECT_FALSE(p.link_.connecting());
   EXPECT_EQ(p.link_.queue(reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t *>("ping"), 4), 4u);
   EXPECT_TRUE(p.link_.flush_tx());
   char buf[8];