diff --git a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.cpp
index a79216e04de..834b77f279d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ void MQTTSubscribeSensor::setup() {
 float MQTTSubscribeSensor::get_setup_priority() const { return setup_priority::AFTER_CONNECTION; }
 void MQTTSubscribeSensor::dump_config() {
   LOG_SENSOR("", "MQTT Subscribe", this);
-  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Topic: %s", this->topic_.c_str());
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Topic: %s", this->topic_);
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::mqtt_subscribe
diff --git a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.h b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.h
index b0a8a0a78a2..1b1b460e4e9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/sensor/mqtt_subscribe_sensor.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace esphome::mqtt_subscribe {
 class MQTTSubscribeSensor final : public sensor::Sensor, public Component {
  public:
   void set_parent(mqtt::MQTTClientComponent *parent) { parent_ = parent; }
-  void set_topic(const std::string &topic) { topic_ = topic; }
+  void set_topic(const char *topic) { this->topic_ = topic; }
   void setup() override;
   void dump_config() override;
   float get_setup_priority() const override;
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class MQTTSubscribeSensor final : public sensor::Sensor, public Component {
 
  protected:
   mqtt::MQTTClientComponent *parent_;
-  std::string topic_;
+  const char *topic_{nullptr};
   uint8_t qos_{0};
 };
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.cpp
index 55992f42f99..0748eac3923 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.cpp
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ void MQTTSubscribeTextSensor::setup() {
 float MQTTSubscribeTextSensor::get_setup_priority() const { return setup_priority::AFTER_CONNECTION; }
 void MQTTSubscribeTextSensor::dump_config() {
   LOG_TEXT_SENSOR("", "MQTT Subscribe Text Sensor", this);
-  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Topic: %s", this->topic_.c_str());
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Topic: %s", this->topic_);
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::mqtt_subscribe
diff --git a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.h b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.h
index dc02eb5d187..7c68aab7e60 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/mqtt_subscribe/text_sensor/mqtt_subscribe_text_sensor.h
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ namespace esphome::mqtt_subscribe {
 class MQTTSubscribeTextSensor final : public text_sensor::TextSensor, public Component {
  public:
   void set_parent(mqtt::MQTTClientComponent *parent) { parent_ = parent; }
-  void set_topic(const std::string &topic) { topic_ = topic; }
+  void set_topic(const char *topic) { this->topic_ = topic; }
   void setup() override;
   void dump_config() override;
   float get_setup_priority() const override;
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class MQTTSubscribeTextSensor final : public text_sensor::TextSensor, public Com
 
  protected:
   mqtt::MQTTClientComponent *parent_;
-  std::string topic_;
+  const char *topic_{nullptr};
   uint8_t qos_{};
 };