diff --git a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
index 485a55e493..e9cf0ad459 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
@@ -318,7 +318,11 @@ _OUTGOING_CONNECTION_SCHEMA = cv.Schema(
     {
         cv.Optional(CONF_HOST): cv.ipaddress,
         cv.Optional(CONF_PORT, default=6054): cv.port,
-        cv.Optional(CONF_DELAY, default="60s"): cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
+        # Bounded so the value cannot wrap the device's uint32 milliseconds
+        cv.Optional(CONF_DELAY, default="60s"): cv.All(
+            cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
+            cv.Range(max=cv.TimePeriod(milliseconds=4294967295)),
+        ),
     }
 )
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
index 3fb28ad43b..0970f3a205 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
@@ -262,10 +262,13 @@ void OutgoingConnectionManager::dump_config() const {
   if (host == nullptr) {
     host = "none remembered yet";
   }
+  // The boot delay differs from delay: on deep sleep builds, so print the
+  // value that actually applies
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG,
                 "  Outgoing connection port: %u\n"
-                "  Outgoing connection host: %s",
-                API_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_PORT, host);
+                "  Outgoing connection host: %s\n"
+                "  Outgoing connection boot delay: %ums",
+                API_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_PORT, host, BOOT_WAIT_MS);
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::api
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/api/test_outgoing_connection.py b/tests/component_tests/api/test_outgoing_connection.py
index c8040a2120..38e8199c63 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/api/test_outgoing_connection.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/api/test_outgoing_connection.py
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ def test_outgoing_connection_bare_block(
     assert outgoing["port"] == 6054
 
 
+def test_outgoing_connection_delay_bounded(
+    set_core_config: SetCoreConfigCallable,
+) -> None:
+    """A delay past the device's uint32 milliseconds is rejected, not wrapped."""
+    set_core_config(PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF, platform_data=ESP32_PLATFORM_DATA)
+    with pytest.raises(cv.Invalid, match="value must be at most"):
+        CONFIG_SCHEMA(_api_config({"delay": "60d"}))
+
+
 def test_outgoing_connection_requires_encryption(
     set_core_config: SetCoreConfigCallable,
 ) -> None: