diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index 57bbceb1b8..4f6f60cf6f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -155,10 +155,11 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_pre_setup_() {
     return;
   }
   err = esp_event_loop_create_default();
-  if (err != ERR_OK) {
+if (err != ESP_OK && err != ESP_ERR_INVALID_STATE) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "esp_event_loop_create_default failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
+    this->mark_failed();
     return;
-  }
+}
   esp_event_handler_instance_t instance_wifi_id, instance_ip_id;
   err = esp_event_handler_instance_register(WIFI_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &event_handler, nullptr, &instance_wifi_id);
   if (err != ERR_OK) {