diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
index ec326edbd62..bdc8b1be065 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
@@ -102,9 +102,10 @@ const LogString *api_error_to_logstr(APIError err) {
 
 APIError APIFrameHelper::drain_overflow_and_handle_errors_() {
   if (this->overflow_buf_.try_drain(this->socket_.get()) == -1) {
-    HELPER_LOG("Socket write failed with errno %d", errno);
-    if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK)
+    if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK) {
+      HELPER_LOG("Socket write failed with errno %d", errno);
       return APIError::SOCKET_WRITE_FAILED;
+    }
   }
   return APIError::OK;
 }
@@ -134,9 +135,10 @@ APIError APIFrameHelper::write_raw_(const struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt, uint16_
         (iovcnt == 1) ? this->socket_->write(iov[0].iov_base, iov[0].iov_len) : this->socket_->writev(iov, iovcnt);
 
     if (sent == -1) [[unlikely]] {
-      HELPER_LOG("Socket write failed with errno %d", errno);
-      if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK)
+      if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK) {
+        HELPER_LOG("Socket write failed with errno %d", errno);
         return APIError::SOCKET_WRITE_FAILED;
+      }
     } else if (static_cast<uint16_t>(sent) >= total_write_len) [[likely]] {
       return APIError::OK;
     } else {
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.cpp
index af3b670e0e3..e242d4553e4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ ssize_t APIOverflowBuffer::try_drain(socket::Socket *socket) {
     ssize_t sent = socket->write(front->current_data(), front->remaining());
 
     if (sent <= 0) {
-      // -1 = error (caller checks errno), 0 = would block
+      // -1 = error (caller checks errno for EWOULDBLOCK vs hard error)
+      // 0 = nothing sent (treat as no progress)
       return sent;
     }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.h b/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.h
index cd26bcdb8ba..1bea871f570 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_overflow_buffer.h
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ class APIOverflowBuffer {
   uint8_t count() const { return this->count_; }
 
   /// Try to drain queued data to the socket.
-  /// Returns bytes-written >= 0 on success/partial, -1 on hard error (errno set).
+  /// Returns bytes-written > 0 on success/partial, 0 if all drained,
+  /// -1 on error (caller must check errno to distinguish EWOULDBLOCK from hard errors).
   /// Frees entries as they are fully sent.
   ssize_t try_drain(socket::Socket *socket);