diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
index 668bb7958d..577eed93d0 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::loop() {
     // The loop only drives the bootstrap and the disconnect safety timeout.
     this->disable_loop();
   } else if (st == ClientState::DISCONNECTING &&
-             millis() - this->disconnecting_started_ > ble_device_base::GATT_DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS) {
+             static_cast<uint16_t>(static_cast<uint16_t>(millis() >> 8) - this->disconnecting_tick_) >
+                 (ble_device_base::GATT_DISCONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS >> 8)) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "[%d] Timeout waiting for CLOSE_EVT, forcing IDLE", this->connection_index_);
     // Release before idling: unconditional disconnect does not release, and a
     // lost CLOSE/DISCONNECT would otherwise leak the table and the cache.
@@ -437,7 +438,7 @@ void BluedroidGattClient::set_idle_() {
 }
 
 void BluedroidGattClient::set_disconnecting_() {
-  this->disconnecting_started_ = millis();
+  this->disconnecting_tick_ = static_cast<uint16_t>(millis() >> 8);
   this->set_state_(ClientState::DISCONNECTING);
   // The loop may be disabled while idle; the safety timeout needs it.
   this->enable_loop();
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
index 80c47e6a4c..897ba2f2de 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_connection/bluetooth_connection_bluedroid.h
@@ -125,7 +125,6 @@ class BluedroidGattClient final : public esp32_ble_tracker::ESPBTClient, public
 #endif
   // Group 2: 4-byte types
   int gattc_if_{ESP_GATT_IF_NONE};
-  uint32_t disconnecting_started_{0};
 
   // Group 3: arrays
   esp_bd_addr_t remote_bda_{};
@@ -133,6 +132,10 @@ class BluedroidGattClient final : public esp32_ble_tracker::ESPBTClient, public
   // Group 4: 2-byte types
   uint16_t conn_id_{0xFFFF};
   uint16_t service_total_{0};
+  // 256 ms ticks (millis() >> 8), wrap-safe for the 10 s net; a uint16 keeps
+  // the object on the 48-byte boundary (a full uint32 costs 4 B of field
+  // plus 4 B of per-slot storage padding).
+  uint16_t disconnecting_tick_{0};
 #ifdef USE_BLE_GATT_SERVICE_TABLE
   // Filled element counts of the materialized table (0 when none).
   uint16_t table_char_total_{0};