diff --git a/esphome/components/script/script.h b/esphome/components/script/script.h
index 97b27af498d..f00ad7f4afa 100644
--- a/esphome/components/script/script.h
+++ b/esphome/components/script/script.h
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ template<class C, typename... Ts> class ScriptWaitAction final : public Action<T
     // play_next_() can trigger more items to be queued
     if (!this->param_queue_.empty()) {
       auto &params = this->param_queue_.front();
-      this->play_next_tuple_(params, std::make_index_sequence<sizeof...(Ts)>{});
+      std::apply([this](auto &...args) { this->play_next_(args...); }, params);
       this->param_queue_.pop_front();
     } else {
       // Queue is now empty - disable loop until next play_complex
@@ -323,12 +323,8 @@ template<class C, typename... Ts> class ScriptWaitAction final : public Action<T
   }
 
  protected:
-  template<size_t... S> void play_next_tuple_(const std::tuple<Ts...> &tuple, std::index_sequence<S...> /*unused*/) {
-    this->play_next_(std::get<S>(tuple)...);
-  }
-
   C *script_;
-  std::list<std::tuple<Ts...>> param_queue_;
+  std::list<std::tuple<stored_trigger_arg_t<Ts>...>> param_queue_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace esphome::script
diff --git a/esphome/core/automation.h b/esphome/core/automation.h
index d3f1fe59e59..35c2a17c247 100644
--- a/esphome/core/automation.h
+++ b/esphome/core/automation.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include "esphome/core/string_ref.h"
 #include <concepts>
 #include <functional>
+#include <type_traits>
 #include <utility>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -494,6 +495,13 @@ template<typename... X> class TemplatableValue<std::string, X...> {
   };
 };
 
+/// How deferring actions store a trigger argument: a copy, since a referenced object may be gone once the trigger
+/// returns, unless the type cannot be copied (e.g. an entity, which outlives the wait). A copyable `Base &` would be
+/// stored sliced, so entity-like argument types must not be copyable.
+template<typename T>
+using stored_trigger_arg_t =
+    std::conditional_t<std::is_copy_constructible_v<std::remove_cvref_t<T>>, std::remove_cvref_t<T>, T>;
+
 /** Base class for all automation conditions.
  *
  * @tparam Ts The template parameters to pass when executing.
diff --git a/esphome/core/base_automation.h b/esphome/core/base_automation.h
index 8762cbe7110..69def222da2 100644
--- a/esphome/core/base_automation.h
+++ b/esphome/core/base_automation.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 #include <array>
 #include <list>
+#include <tuple>
 #include <type_traits>
 #include <vector>
 
@@ -500,7 +501,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WaitUntilAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Co
     // Store for later processing
     auto now = millis();
     auto timeout = this->timeout_value_.optional_value(x...);
-    this->var_queue_.emplace_back(now, timeout, std::make_tuple(x...));
+    this->var_queue_.emplace_back(now, timeout, x...);
 
     // Do immediate check with fresh timestamp - don't call loop() synchronously!
     // Let the event loop call it to avoid reentrancy issues
@@ -532,7 +533,13 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WaitUntilAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Co
   }
 
  protected:
-  using QueueItem = std::tuple<uint32_t, optional<uint32_t>, std::tuple<Ts...>>;
+  struct QueueItem {
+    QueueItem(uint32_t start, optional<uint32_t> timeout, const Ts &...x)
+        : start(start), timeout(timeout), args(x...) {}
+    uint32_t start;
+    optional<uint32_t> timeout;
+    std::tuple<stored_trigger_arg_t<Ts>...> args;
+  };
 
   // Helper: Process queue, triggering completed items and removing them
   // Returns true if queue still has pending items
@@ -546,14 +553,14 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WaitUntilAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Co
     std::list<QueueItem> pending;
     while (!queue.empty()) {
       auto it = queue.begin();
-      auto start = std::get<uint32_t>(*it);
-      auto timeout = std::get<optional<uint32_t>>(*it);
+      auto start = it->start;
+      auto timeout = it->timeout;
 
       // Check if timeout has expired
       auto expired = timeout && (now - start) >= *timeout;
 
       // Keep waiting if not expired and condition not met
-      if (!expired && !this->condition_->check_tuple(std::get<std::tuple<Ts...>>(*it))) {
+      if (!expired && !std::apply([this](auto &...args) { return this->condition_->check(args...); }, it->args)) {
         pending.splice(pending.end(), queue, it);
         continue;
       }
@@ -564,7 +571,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WaitUntilAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Co
       std::list<QueueItem> completed;
       completed.splice(completed.begin(), queue, it);
       uint8_t generation = this->stop_generation_;
-      this->play_next_tuple_(std::get<std::tuple<Ts...>>(completed.front()));
+      std::apply([this](auto &...args) { this->play_next_(args...); }, completed.front().args);
       if (generation != this->stop_generation_) {
         // stop() ran inside the chain - the items still held locally were cancelled
         pending.clear();
@@ -581,7 +588,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WaitUntilAction : public Action<Ts...>, public Co
 
   Condition<Ts...> *condition_;
   std::list<QueueItem> var_queue_{};
-  // Bumped by stop() so process_queue_() can detect a stop from inside play_next_tuple_()
+  // Bumped by stop() so process_queue_() can detect a stop from inside play_next_()
   uint8_t stop_generation_{0};
 };
 
diff --git a/tests/components/core/test_wait_until_action.cpp b/tests/components/core/test_wait_until_action.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..56cfa10d513
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/core/test_wait_until_action.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+
+#include "esphome/core/base_automation.h"
+
+namespace esphome::testing {
+
+class FlagCondition : public Condition<const std::string &> {
+ public:
+  bool check(const std::string & /*value*/) override { return this->ready; }
+  bool ready{false};
+};
+
+class RecordAction : public Action<const std::string &> {
+ public:
+  void play(const std::string &value) override { this->seen = value; }
+  std::string seen;
+};
+
+// A trigger argument passed as `const T &` must be copied while waiting: the
+// referenced object is gone once the trigger has returned.
+TEST(WaitUntilActionTest, KeepsCopyOfReferenceArguments) {
+  FlagCondition condition;
+  WaitUntilAction<const std::string &> wait(&condition);
+  RecordAction record;
+  ActionList<const std::string &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &record});
+
+  {
+    auto value = std::make_unique<std::string>("argument longer than the small string buffer");
+    actions.play(*value);
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(record.seen.empty());
+
+  condition.ready = true;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(record.seen, "argument longer than the small string buffer");
+}
+
+class Counter {
+ public:
+  int value{0};
+};
+
+class CounterCondition : public Condition<Counter &> {
+ public:
+  bool check(Counter & /*counter*/) override { return this->ready; }
+  bool ready{false};
+};
+
+class IncrementAction : public Action<Counter &> {
+ public:
+  void play(Counter &counter) override { this->seen = ++counter.value; }
+  int seen{0};
+};
+
+// A non-const reference argument used to fail to compile
+TEST(WaitUntilActionTest, AcceptsMutableReferenceArguments) {
+  CounterCondition condition;
+  WaitUntilAction<Counter &> wait(&condition);
+  IncrementAction increment;
+  ActionList<Counter &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &increment});
+
+  Counter counter;
+  actions.play(counter);
+  condition.ready = true;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(increment.seen, 1);
+  // Like delay, the actions after the wait work on a copy
+  EXPECT_EQ(counter.value, 0);
+}
+
+class Entity {
+ public:
+  Entity() = default;
+  Entity(const Entity &) = delete;
+  int value{0};
+};
+
+class EntityCondition : public Condition<Entity &> {
+ public:
+  bool check(Entity & /*entity*/) override { return this->ready; }
+  bool ready{false};
+};
+
+class EntityIncrementAction : public Action<Entity &> {
+ public:
+  void play(Entity &entity) override { entity.value++; }
+};
+
+// A type that cannot be copied, such as an entity, is kept by reference
+TEST(WaitUntilActionTest, KeepsReferenceToNonCopyableArguments) {
+  EntityCondition condition;
+  WaitUntilAction<Entity &> wait(&condition);
+  EntityIncrementAction increment;
+  ActionList<Entity &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &increment});
+
+  Entity entity;
+  actions.play(entity);
+  condition.ready = true;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(entity.value, 1);
+}
+
+}  // namespace esphome::testing
diff --git a/tests/components/script/test_script_wait_action.cpp b/tests/components/script/test_script_wait_action.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..17f553996ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/script/test_script_wait_action.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
+
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+
+#include "esphome/components/script/script.h"
+
+namespace esphome::script::testing {
+
+class FakeScript {
+ public:
+  bool is_running() const { return this->running; }
+  bool running{true};
+};
+
+class RecordAction : public Action<const std::string &> {
+ public:
+  void play(const std::string &value) override { this->seen = value; }
+  std::string seen;
+};
+
+// A trigger argument passed as `const T &` must be copied while waiting: the
+// referenced object is gone once the trigger has returned.
+TEST(ScriptWaitActionTest, KeepsCopyOfReferenceArguments) {
+  FakeScript script;
+  ScriptWaitAction<FakeScript, const std::string &> wait(&script);
+  RecordAction record;
+  ActionList<const std::string &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &record});
+
+  {
+    auto value = std::make_unique<std::string>("argument longer than the small string buffer");
+    actions.play(*value);
+  }
+  EXPECT_TRUE(record.seen.empty());
+
+  script.running = false;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(record.seen, "argument longer than the small string buffer");
+}
+
+class Counter {
+ public:
+  int value{0};
+};
+
+class IncrementAction : public Action<Counter &> {
+ public:
+  void play(Counter &counter) override { this->seen = ++counter.value; }
+  int seen{0};
+};
+
+TEST(ScriptWaitActionTest, KeepsCopyOfMutableReferenceArguments) {
+  FakeScript script;
+  ScriptWaitAction<FakeScript, Counter &> wait(&script);
+  IncrementAction increment;
+  ActionList<Counter &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &increment});
+
+  Counter counter;
+  actions.play(counter);
+  script.running = false;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(increment.seen, 1);
+  // Like delay, the actions after the wait work on a copy
+  EXPECT_EQ(counter.value, 0);
+}
+
+class Entity {
+ public:
+  Entity() = default;
+  Entity(const Entity &) = delete;
+  int value{0};
+};
+
+class EntityIncrementAction : public Action<Entity &> {
+ public:
+  void play(Entity &entity) override { entity.value++; }
+};
+
+// A type that cannot be copied, such as an entity, is kept by reference
+TEST(ScriptWaitActionTest, KeepsReferenceToNonCopyableArguments) {
+  FakeScript script;
+  ScriptWaitAction<FakeScript, Entity &> wait(&script);
+  EntityIncrementAction increment;
+  ActionList<Entity &> actions;
+  actions.add_actions({&wait, &increment});
+
+  Entity entity;
+  actions.play(entity);
+  script.running = false;
+  wait.loop();
+  EXPECT_EQ(entity.value, 1);
+}
+
+}  // namespace esphome::script::testing