diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 6f20a4a7d2..f64c6ffbb4 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -332,8 +332,8 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           . venv/bin/activate
           export BENCHMARK_LIB_CONFIG=$(python script/setup_codspeed_lib.py)
-          script/cpp_benchmark.py --all --build-only 2>&1 | tee /tmp/bench-build.log
-          BINARY=$(tail -1 /tmp/bench-build.log)
+          # --build-only prints the binary path as the last line of stdout
+          BINARY=$(script/cpp_benchmark.py --all --build-only | tail -1)
           echo "binary=$BINARY" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
 
       - name: Run CodSpeed benchmarks
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/components/main.cpp b/tests/benchmarks/components/main.cpp
index 990db92f66..02fdf288a5 100644
--- a/tests/benchmarks/components/main.cpp
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/components/main.cpp
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ It replaces the default ESPHome main with a benchmark runner.
 // ========== AUTO GENERATED INCLUDE BLOCK END ==========="
 
 void original_setup() {
-  // This function won't be run.
+  // Code-generated App initialization (pre_setup, area/device registration, etc.)
 
   // ========== AUTO GENERATED CODE BEGIN ===========
   // =========== AUTO GENERATED CODE END ============