diff --git a/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_component.cpp b/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_component.cpp
index 9d1e585339..4f236153c2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_component.cpp
@@ -118,6 +118,9 @@ void MDNSComponent::compile_records_(StaticVector<MDNSService, MDNS_SERVICE_COUN
     }
 #endif
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_OTA_SIGNED_VERIFICATION
+    txt_count++;  // ota_signed
+#endif
 #ifdef ESPHOME_PROJECT_NAME
     txt_count += 2;  // project_name and project_version
 #endif
@@ -186,6 +189,13 @@ void MDNSComponent::compile_records_(StaticVector<MDNSService, MDNS_SERVICE_COUN
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#ifdef USE_OTA_SIGNED_VERIFICATION
+    // Signals that an unsigned OTA image is rejected; serial flash is unaffected.
+    MDNS_STATIC_CONST_CHAR(TXT_OTA_SIGNED, "ota_signed");
+    MDNS_STATIC_CONST_CHAR(VALUE_TRUE, "1");
+    txt_records.push_back({MDNS_STR(TXT_OTA_SIGNED), MDNS_STR(VALUE_TRUE)});
+#endif
+
 #ifdef ESPHOME_PROJECT_NAME
     MDNS_STATIC_CONST_CHAR(TXT_PROJECT_NAME, "project_name");
     MDNS_STATIC_CONST_CHAR(TXT_PROJECT_VERSION, "project_version");
diff --git a/esphome/zeroconf.py b/esphome/zeroconf.py
index 04075ec4c1..573abf1b71 100644
--- a/esphome/zeroconf.py
+++ b/esphome/zeroconf.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ TXT_RECORD_PROJECT_VERSION = b"project_version"
 TXT_RECORD_NETWORK = b"network"
 TXT_RECORD_FRIENDLY_NAME = b"friendly_name"
 TXT_RECORD_VERSION = b"version"
+TXT_RECORD_OTA_SIGNED = b"ota_signed"
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -76,6 +77,8 @@ class DiscoveredImport:
     project_name: str
     project_version: str
     network: str
+    # Defaults False so entries persisted before this field still load.
+    ota_signed: bool = False
 
 
 class DashboardBrowser(AsyncServiceBrowser):
@@ -169,6 +172,7 @@ class DashboardImportDiscovery:
         project_name = info.properties[TXT_RECORD_PROJECT_NAME].decode()
         project_version = info.properties[TXT_RECORD_PROJECT_VERSION].decode()
         network = info.properties.get(TXT_RECORD_NETWORK, b"wifi").decode()
+        ota_signed = info.properties.get(TXT_RECORD_OTA_SIGNED) == b"1"
         friendly_name = info.properties.get(TXT_RECORD_FRIENDLY_NAME)
         if friendly_name is not None:
             friendly_name = friendly_name.decode()
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ class DashboardImportDiscovery:
             project_name=project_name,
             project_version=project_version,
             network=network,
+            ota_signed=ota_signed,
         )
         is_new = name not in self.import_state
         self.import_state[name] = discovered
diff --git a/tests/components/mdns/test-signed-ota.esp32-s3-idf.yaml b/tests/components/mdns/test-signed-ota.esp32-s3-idf.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1948ccc329
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/mdns/test-signed-ota.esp32-s3-idf.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Signed OTA plus the native api: the only combination that emits ota_signed.
+esp32:
+  variant: esp32s3
+  framework:
+    type: esp-idf
+    advanced:
+      signed_ota_verification:
+
+wifi:
+  ssid: MySSID
+  password: password1
+
+api:
+
+mdns:
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_zeroconf.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_zeroconf.py
index e325eb1e26..ae801868ac 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_zeroconf.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_zeroconf.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ def _make_service_info(
     network: str | None = "wifi",
     friendly_name: str | None = "Living Room",
     version: str | None = "2025.1.0",
+    ota_signed: str | None = None,
 ) -> MagicMock:
     """Build a fake ``AsyncServiceInfo`` with the TXT records we care about.
 
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ def _make_service_info(
         properties[b"friendly_name"] = friendly_name.encode()
     if version is not None:
         properties[b"version"] = version.encode()
+    if ota_signed is not None:
+        properties[b"ota_signed"] = ota_signed.encode()
     info.properties = properties
     info.load_from_cache.return_value = True
     return info
@@ -77,6 +80,7 @@ def test_added_service_populates_import_state_and_fires_callback() -> None:
     assert entry.project_version == "1.0.0"
     assert entry.network == "wifi"
     assert entry.friendly_name == "Living Room"
+    assert entry.ota_signed is False
     on_update.assert_called_once_with(name, entry)
 
 
@@ -206,6 +210,20 @@ def test_network_defaults_to_wifi_when_txt_absent() -> None:
     assert discovery.import_state[name].network == "wifi"
 
 
+def test_ota_signed_txt_is_parsed() -> None:
+    """``ota_signed=1`` marks a device that only accepts signed OTA images.
+
+    Lets a consumer check whether it holds a key the device trusts before
+    an update is attempted, instead of failing at install time.
+    """
+    discovery = DashboardImportDiscovery()
+    info = _make_service_info(ota_signed="1")
+    name = f"signed.{ESPHOME_SERVICE_TYPE}"
+    discovery._process_service_info(name, info)
+
+    assert discovery.import_state[name].ota_signed is True
+
+
 def test_friendly_name_optional() -> None:
     """``friendly_name`` may be ``None`` if the device doesn't broadcast it.