diff --git a/esphome/espidf/framework.py b/esphome/espidf/framework.py
index b40ea8cd39..30cc64a7a6 100644
--- a/esphome/espidf/framework.py
+++ b/esphome/espidf/framework.py
@@ -825,11 +825,9 @@ def _preinstall_idf_tool_archives(
             stream_output=True,
         )
         if not success:
-            # Detail already streamed to the terminal by the script
-            _LOGGER.warning(
-                "ESP-IDF tool pre-extraction failed; the installer will "
-                "extract sequentially"
-            )
+            # Detail already streamed to the terminal by the script; a
+            # surviving torn dir prints its own guidance there
+            _LOGGER.warning("ESP-IDF tool pre-extraction failed; see above")
     except Exception as e:  # noqa: BLE001  # pylint: disable=broad-exception-caught
         _LOGGER.warning("ESP-IDF tool pre-extraction failed: %s", failure_reason(e))
         _LOGGER.debug("Pre-extraction failure detail", exc_info=True)
diff --git a/esphome/espidf/install_tool_archives.py b/esphome/espidf/install_tool_archives.py
index 052080ca6b..6bbabc4356 100644
--- a/esphome/espidf/install_tool_archives.py
+++ b/esphome/espidf/install_tool_archives.py
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ def install_one(tool: object, name: str, version: str) -> bool | None:
         except FileNotFoundError:  # pragma: no cover  # failed before mkdir
             pass
         except OSError as cleanup_err:
-            print(f"could not remove {dest}: {cleanup_err}", file=sys.stderr)
+            print(
+                f"could not remove {dest}: {cleanup_err}; the installer may "
+                "trust the partial tool dir, delete it manually if the build "
+                "fails",
+                file=sys.stderr,
+            )
             return None
         return False
     return True