diff --git a/esphome/build_gen/espidf.py b/esphome/build_gen/espidf.py
index 7f0cd6fee8..7689fc93b0 100644
--- a/esphome/build_gen/espidf.py
+++ b/esphome/build_gen/espidf.py
@@ -90,11 +90,10 @@ def get_project_cmakelists(
     """
     idf_target = variant_to_idf_target(get_esp32_variant())
 
-    # esp_idf_size 2.x (bundled with IDF >=6.0) made NG the default and
-    # removed the --ng flag; on 1.x (IDF 5.5) --ng is required to get
-    # --format=json2 because the legacy mode doesn't support it. 1.x json2
-    # also lacks total_size, which is why espidf/size_summary.py carries an
-    # ELF fallback; both go away together when 1.x support is dropped.
+    # esp_idf_size 2.x (IDF >=6.0) made NG the default and removed --ng;
+    # 1.x (IDF 5.5) needs --ng for --format=json2. 1.x json2 also lacks
+    # total_size, hence the ELF fallback in espidf/size_summary.py; both
+    # go away together when 1.x support is dropped.
     size_ng_flag = "--ng" if idf_version() < cv.Version(6, 0, 0) else ""
 
     # Project-wide compile options: -D defines and -W warning flags (skip
@@ -214,9 +213,8 @@ include($ENV{{IDF_PATH}}/tools/cmake/project.cmake)
 project({CORE.name})
 
 # Emit per-memory-type JSON size data for ESPHome to read post-build.
-# json2 only summarizes memory regions; the raw format also dumps every
-# symbol (multi-MB, ~2s on a large map) and this command runs inside the
-# link edge, so everything downstream of the ELF would wait on it.
+# json2 stays small; raw dumps every symbol (~2s on a large map) and
+# this command runs inside the link edge, blocking everything downstream.
 add_custom_command(
     TARGET ${{CMAKE_PROJECT_NAME}}.elf POST_BUILD
     COMMAND ${{PYTHON}} -m esp_idf_size {size_ng_flag} --format=json2
diff --git a/esphome/espidf/size_summary.py b/esphome/espidf/size_summary.py
index e52e1f04c6..d8303d37dd 100644
--- a/esphome/espidf/size_summary.py
+++ b/esphome/espidf/size_summary.py
@@ -20,10 +20,8 @@ subtype is ``factory`` or ``ota_0``; see
 
 Structured size data is produced at link time by a CMake POST_BUILD
 custom command (see ``build_gen/espidf.py``) which writes
-``esp_idf_size.json`` (``--format=json2``: a per-memory-type summary,
-``{"version": ..., "layout": [{"name", "total", "used", ...}]}``) next
-to the ELF. We read that file here rather than re-running
-``esp_idf_size`` from Python.
+``esp_idf_size.json`` (``--format=json2``, a per-memory-type summary)
+next to the ELF; we read that rather than re-running ``esp_idf_size``.
 """
 
 from __future__ import annotations
@@ -78,13 +76,9 @@ def _find_app_partition_size(partitions_csv: Path) -> int:
 def _image_size_from_elf(elf: Path) -> int:
     """Sum the loadable PROGBITS section sizes from an ELF32 file.
 
-    This is the rule ``esp_idf_size.ng.memorymap._get_image_size`` uses for
-    its image size figure, so the result is byte-identical to the tool's.
-    esptool's ``ELFFile`` is deliberately not reused: its section filter
-    differs (counts INIT/FINI arrays, skips lma==0 sections) and would
-    report a different number. Reads only the header and section table,
-    not the multi-MB debug payload. Raises ``ValueError`` for anything
-    that is not a well-formed 32-bit little-endian ELF.
+    Matches ``esp_idf_size.ng.memorymap._get_image_size`` byte for byte;
+    esptool's ``ELFFile`` filters sections differently and would not.
+    Raises ``ValueError`` for anything but a well-formed ELF32 LE file.
     """
     with elf.open("rb") as f:
         header = f.read(52)  # ELF32 header
diff --git a/esphome/espidf/toolchain.py b/esphome/espidf/toolchain.py
index ec84b9d84e..f695bdb7ab 100644
--- a/esphome/espidf/toolchain.py
+++ b/esphome/espidf/toolchain.py
@@ -580,10 +580,10 @@ def get_ota_firmware_path() -> Path:
 
 
 def get_built_elf_path() -> Path:
-    """Get the path to the ELF that idf.py writes directly, ``<build>/<name>.elf``.
+    """Path to the ELF idf.py writes directly, ``<build>/<name>.elf``.
 
-    Unlike ``get_elf_path``, this file exists as soon as the build finishes,
-    before ``create_elf_copy`` produces the ``firmware.elf`` copy.
+    Exists as soon as the build finishes, unlike the ``firmware.elf``
+    copy that ``create_elf_copy`` makes later.
     """
     build_dir = CORE.relative_build_path("build")
     return build_dir / f"{CORE.name}.elf"