diff --git a/esphome/components/uart/__init__.py b/esphome/components/uart/__init__.py
index eda7d8c792..69db4b44aa 100644
--- a/esphome/components/uart/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/uart/__init__.py
@@ -509,10 +509,11 @@ async def uart_write_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
 @coroutine_with_priority(CoroPriority.FINAL)
 async def final_step():
     """Final code generation step to configure optional UART features."""
-    if CORE.is_esp32:
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and CORE.has_networking:
         # Wake-on-RX is essentially free on ESP32 (just an ISR function pointer
         # registration) — enable by default to reduce RX buffer overflow risk
         # by waking the main loop immediately when data arrives.
+        # Requires networking for the wake_loop_isrsafe() infrastructure.
         from esphome.components import socket
 
         socket.require_wake_loop_threadsafe()