diff --git a/esphome/components/nrf52/toolchain.py b/esphome/components/nrf52/toolchain.py
index 5c9e3d4632..aaa317aa5f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/nrf52/toolchain.py
+++ b/esphome/components/nrf52/toolchain.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import esphome.config_validation as cv
+from esphome.const import KEY_CORE, KEY_FRAMEWORK_VERSION
 from esphome.core import CORE
 
 from .framework import toolchain_tool
@@ -16,8 +18,11 @@ def get_readelf_path() -> Path:
 
 
 def get_elf_path() -> Path:
-    """The linked Zephyr image; the SDK nests it one level deeper from 2.9.2."""
-    nested = CORE.relative_pioenvs_path(CORE.name, "zephyr", "zephyr", "zephyr.elf")
-    if nested.is_file():
-        return nested
-    return CORE.relative_pioenvs_path(CORE.name, "zephyr", "zephyr.elf")
+    """The linked Zephyr image, at the layout the configured SDK version writes.
+
+    Chosen by version rather than by probing so a leftover image from another
+    SDK layout is never analyzed in place of the current build.
+    """
+    if CORE.data[KEY_CORE][KEY_FRAMEWORK_VERSION] < cv.Version(2, 9, 2):
+        return CORE.relative_pioenvs_path(CORE.name, "zephyr", "zephyr.elf")
+    return CORE.relative_pioenvs_path(CORE.name, "zephyr", "zephyr", "zephyr.elf")
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_nrf52_toolchain.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_nrf52_toolchain.py
index 1a9e4bd2e2..ee8f6eaf49 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_nrf52_toolchain.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_nrf52_toolchain.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import pytest
 
 from esphome.components.nrf52 import toolchain
 from esphome.components.nrf52.framework import TOOLCHAIN_VERSION, get_sdk_nrf_tools_path
+import esphome.config_validation as cv
+from esphome.const import KEY_CORE, KEY_FRAMEWORK_VERSION
 from esphome.core import CORE
 
 
@@ -17,6 +19,10 @@ def nrf52_build(tmp_path: Path) -> Path:
     return CORE.build_path / ".pioenvs" / "test_device" / "zephyr"
 
 
+def _set_sdk_version(version: cv.Version) -> None:
+    CORE.data.setdefault(KEY_CORE, {})[KEY_FRAMEWORK_VERSION] = version
+
+
 def test_binutils_come_from_the_pinned_zephyr_sdk() -> None:
     bin_path = (
         get_sdk_nrf_tools_path()
@@ -31,15 +37,18 @@ def test_binutils_come_from_the_pinned_zephyr_sdk() -> None:
     assert toolchain.get_readelf_path() == bin_path / f"arm-zephyr-eabi-readelf{suffix}"
 
 
-def test_elf_prefers_the_nested_sdk_layout(nrf52_build: Path) -> None:
+def test_elf_uses_the_nested_layout_from_sdk_2_9_2(nrf52_build: Path) -> None:
+    _set_sdk_version(cv.Version(2, 9, 2))
+    # A flat image left by an older SDK must not be picked over the current
+    # layout, so the choice follows the version rather than what exists
+    (nrf52_build / "zephyr.elf").parent.mkdir(parents=True)
+    (nrf52_build / "zephyr.elf").write_text("")
+    assert toolchain.get_elf_path() == nrf52_build / "zephyr" / "zephyr.elf"
+
+
+def test_elf_uses_the_flat_layout_before_sdk_2_9_2(nrf52_build: Path) -> None:
+    _set_sdk_version(cv.Version(2, 6, 1))
     nested = nrf52_build / "zephyr" / "zephyr.elf"
     nested.parent.mkdir(parents=True)
     nested.write_text("")
-    (nrf52_build / "zephyr.elf").write_text("")
-    assert toolchain.get_elf_path() == nested
-
-
-def test_elf_falls_back_to_the_flat_layout(nrf52_build: Path) -> None:
-    # SDKs before 2.9.2 wrote the image one level up; a missing ELF is
-    # reported by the caller under this path
     assert toolchain.get_elf_path() == nrf52_build / "zephyr.elf"