diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
index e3421cee3c..5327d15cec 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
@@ -722,11 +722,7 @@ void WebServer::handle_switch_request(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const UrlM
     }
 
     if (action != SWITCH_ACTION_NONE) {
-#ifdef USE_ESP8266
-      execute_switch_action(obj, action);
-#else
       this->defer([obj, action]() { execute_switch_action(obj, action); });
-#endif
       request->send(200);
     } else {
       request->send(404);
@@ -1647,11 +1643,7 @@ void WebServer::handle_lock_request(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const UrlMat
     }
 
     if (action != LOCK_ACTION_NONE) {
-#ifdef USE_ESP8266
-      execute_lock_action(obj, action);
-#else
       this->defer([obj, action]() { execute_lock_action(obj, action); });
-#endif
       request->send(200);
     } else {
       request->send(404);
@@ -2017,19 +2009,14 @@ void WebServer::handle_infrared_request(AsyncWebServerRequest *request, const Ur
       return;
     }
 
-#ifdef USE_ESP8266
-    // ESP8266 is single-threaded, call directly
-    call.set_raw_timings_base64url(encoded);
-    call.perform();
-#else
     // Defer to main loop for thread safety. Move encoded string into lambda to ensure
     // it outlives the call - set_raw_timings_base64url stores a pointer, so the string
     // must remain valid until perform() completes.
+    // ESP8266 also needs this because ESPAsyncWebServer callbacks run in "sys" context.
     this->defer([call, encoded = std::move(encoded)]() mutable {
       call.set_raw_timings_base64url(encoded);
       call.perform();
     });
-#endif
 
     request->send(200);
     return;
diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
index d05aafe473..7f8a5a3d15 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
@@ -43,13 +43,12 @@ using ParamNameType = const __FlashStringHelper *;
 using ParamNameType = const char *;
 #endif
 
-// ESP8266 is single-threaded, so actions can execute directly in request context.
-// Multi-core platforms need to defer to main loop thread for thread safety.
-#ifdef USE_ESP8266
-#define DEFER_ACTION(capture, action) action
-#else
+// All platforms need to defer actions to main loop thread.
+// Multi-core platforms need this for thread safety.
+// ESP8266 needs this because ESPAsyncWebServer callbacks run in "sys" context
+// (SDK system context), not "cont" context (continuation/main loop). Calling
+// yield() from sys context causes a panic in the Arduino core.
 #define DEFER_ACTION(capture, action) this->defer([capture]() mutable { action; })
-#endif
 
 /// Result of matching a URL against an entity
 struct EntityMatchResult {