diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index cdc101b87c1..00890771bf1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -855,7 +855,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_process_event_(IDFWiFiEvent *data) {
         std::copy(record.bssid, record.bssid + 6, bssid.begin());
         std::string ssid(ssid_cstr);
         this->scan_result_.emplace_back(bssid, std::move(ssid), record.primary, record.rssi,
-                                        record.authmode != WIFI_AUTH_OPEN, ssid.empty());
+                                        record.authmode != WIFI_AUTH_OPEN, ssid_cstr[0] == '\0');
       } else {
         WiFiComponent::log_discarded_scan_result_(ssid_cstr, record.bssid, record.rssi, record.primary);
       }
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_pico_w.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_pico_w.cpp
index 57fc89d36be..d80ff87da65 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_pico_w.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_pico_w.cpp
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_scan_result(void *env, const cyw43_ev_scan_result_t *re
   std::copy(result->bssid, result->bssid + 6, bssid.begin());
   std::string ssid(ssid_cstr);
   WiFiScanResult res(bssid, std::move(ssid), result->channel, result->rssi, result->auth_mode != CYW43_AUTH_OPEN,
-                     ssid.empty());
+                     ssid_cstr[0] == '\0');
   if (std::find(this->scan_result_.begin(), this->scan_result_.end(), res) == this->scan_result_.end()) {
     this->scan_result_.push_back(res);
   }