diff --git a/esphome/components/image/image.cpp b/esphome/components/image/image.cpp
index 4fbd1520bb2..c0592b33fe6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/image/image.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/image/image.cpp
@@ -44,11 +44,15 @@ void Image::draw(int x, int y, display::Display *display, Color color_on, Color
   // image read and the frame buffer write sequential. When the display swaps
   // the axes before writing, walking columns keeps the write sequential
   // instead; a strided write costs more than a strided read.
+#ifdef USE_PSRAM
   if (display->pixel_axes_swapped()) {
     this->draw_<false>(x, y, display, color_on, color_off, x_start, x_end, y_start, y_end);
-  } else {
-    this->draw_<true>(x, y, display, color_on, color_off, x_start, x_end, y_start, y_end);
+    return;
   }
+#endif
+  // Without PSRAM the frame buffer is in uncached RAM, where the strided write
+  // is free, so one copy of the loops is enough.
+  this->draw_<true>(x, y, display, color_on, color_off, x_start, x_end, y_start, y_end);
 }
 
 template<bool ROWS_OUTER>
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/components/image/bench_image_draw.cpp b/tests/benchmarks/components/image/bench_image_draw.cpp
index 0b203426d01..83530e0653c 100644
--- a/tests/benchmarks/components/image/bench_image_draw.cpp
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/components/image/bench_image_draw.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,21 @@ static void ImageDraw_RGB_Rotated(benchmark::State &state) {
 }
 BENCHMARK(ImageDraw_RGB_Rotated);
 
+static void ImageDraw_Binary_Transparent(benchmark::State &state) {
+  draw_image(state, IMAGE_TYPE_BINARY, TRANSPARENCY_CHROMA_KEY);
+}
+BENCHMARK(ImageDraw_Binary_Transparent);
+
+static void ImageDraw_Grayscale_ChromaKey(benchmark::State &state) {
+  draw_image(state, IMAGE_TYPE_GRAYSCALE, TRANSPARENCY_CHROMA_KEY);
+}
+BENCHMARK(ImageDraw_Grayscale_ChromaKey);
+
+static void ImageDraw_Grayscale_Alpha(benchmark::State &state) {
+  draw_image(state, IMAGE_TYPE_GRAYSCALE, TRANSPARENCY_ALPHA_CHANNEL);
+}
+BENCHMARK(ImageDraw_Grayscale_Alpha);
+
 static void ImageDraw_RGB_Alpha(benchmark::State &state) {
   draw_image(state, IMAGE_TYPE_RGB, TRANSPARENCY_ALPHA_CHANNEL);
 }