diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
index 0c6660ce64..46c000562e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
@@ -48,8 +48,8 @@ void arch_init() {
 void HOT arch_feed_wdt() { esp_task_wdt_reset(); }
 
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) { return *addr; }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) { return *addr; }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() { return esp_cpu_get_cycle_count(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz() {
   uint32_t freq = 0;
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_camera/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32_camera/__init__.py
index 22e14ae9ee..3a5d87792b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_camera/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_camera/__init__.py
@@ -368,16 +368,11 @@ SETTERS = {
 }
 
 
-@setup_entity("camera")
-async def _setup_esp32_camera(var, config):
-    pass
-
-
 async def to_code(config):
     cg.add_define("USE_CAMERA")
     socket.require_wake_loop_threadsafe()
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
-    await _setup_esp32_camera(var, config)
+    await setup_entity(var, config, "camera")
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
 
     for key, setter in SETTERS.items():
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
index a43e917b1c..159ec20e77 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
@@ -34,12 +34,12 @@ void HOT arch_feed_wdt() { system_soft_wdt_feed(); }
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) {
   return pgm_read_byte(addr);  // NOLINT
 }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) {
-  return pgm_read_word(addr);  // NOLINT
-}
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) {
   return reinterpret_cast<const char *>(pgm_read_ptr(addr));  // NOLINT
 }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) {
+  return pgm_read_word(addr);  // NOLINT
+}
 uint32_t IRAM_ATTR HOT arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() { return esp_get_cycle_count(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz() { return F_CPU; }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/host/core.cpp b/esphome/components/host/core.cpp
index e252b10456..d5c61ec986 100644
--- a/esphome/components/host/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/host/core.cpp
@@ -59,8 +59,8 @@ void HOT arch_feed_wdt() {
 }
 
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) { return *addr; }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) { return *addr; }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() {
   struct timespec spec;
   clock_gettime(CLOCK_MONOTONIC, &spec);
diff --git a/esphome/components/libretiny/core.cpp b/esphome/components/libretiny/core.cpp
index 47f7b6d2fa..893a79440a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/libretiny/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/libretiny/core.cpp
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@ void HOT arch_feed_wdt() { lt_wdt_feed(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() { return lt_cpu_get_cycle_count(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz() { return lt_cpu_get_freq(); }
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) { return *addr; }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) { return *addr; }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 
 }  // namespace esphome
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/rp2040/core.cpp b/esphome/components/rp2040/core.cpp
index 6715ea7ca1..63b154d80d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/rp2040/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/rp2040/core.cpp
@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@ void HOT arch_feed_wdt() { watchdog_update(); }
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) {
   return pgm_read_byte(addr);  // NOLINT
 }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) {
   return reinterpret_cast<const char *>(pgm_read_ptr(addr));  // NOLINT
 }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 uint32_t HOT arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() { return ulMainGetRunTimeCounterValue(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz() { return RP2040::f_cpu(); }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/zephyr/core.cpp b/esphome/components/zephyr/core.cpp
index c06bbb2a5d..eee7fb3f4f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/zephyr/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/zephyr/core.cpp
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ void arch_restart() { sys_reboot(SYS_REBOOT_COLD); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_cycle_count() { return k_cycle_get_32(); }
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz() { return sys_clock_hw_cycles_per_sec(); }
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr) { return *addr; }
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr) { return *addr; }
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr) { return *addr; }
 
 Mutex::Mutex() {
   auto *mutex = new k_mutex();
diff --git a/esphome/core/entity_helpers.py b/esphome/core/entity_helpers.py
index fd151d82d9..551e35df65 100644
--- a/esphome/core/entity_helpers.py
+++ b/esphome/core/entity_helpers.py
@@ -236,33 +236,44 @@ def get_base_entity_object_id(
     return sanitize(snake_case(base_str))
 
 
-def setup_entity(platform: str) -> Callable:
-    """Decorator for component setup functions.
+def setup_entity(var_or_platform, config=None, platform=None):
+    """Set up entity properties — works as both decorator and direct call.
 
-    Wraps the function to:
-    1. Set up common entity properties (name, icon, etc.)
-    2. Run the wrapped function (which may call setup_device_class, etc.)
-    3. Finalize entity strings (pack dc/uom/icon indices into uint32_t)
-
-    Usage::
+    Decorator mode::
 
         @setup_entity("sensor")
         async def setup_sensor_core_(var, config):
             setup_device_class(config)
             setup_unit_of_measurement(config)
             ...
+
+    Direct call mode (for entities with no extra string properties)::
+
+        await setup_entity(var, config, "camera")
     """
+    if isinstance(var_or_platform, str) and config is None:
+        # Decorator mode: @setup_entity("sensor")
+        platform = var_or_platform
 
-    def decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
-        @functools.wraps(func)
-        async def wrapper(var: MockObj, config: ConfigType, *args, **kwargs) -> None:
-            await _setup_entity_impl(var, config, platform)
-            await func(var, config, *args, **kwargs)
-            finalize_entity_strings(var, config)
+        def decorator(func: Callable) -> Callable:
+            @functools.wraps(func)
+            async def wrapper(
+                var: MockObj, config: ConfigType, *args, **kwargs
+            ) -> None:
+                await _setup_entity_impl(var, config, platform)
+                await func(var, config, *args, **kwargs)
+                finalize_entity_strings(var, config)
 
-        return wrapper
+            return wrapper
 
-    return decorator
+        return decorator
+
+    # Direct call mode: await setup_entity(var, config, "camera")
+    async def _do() -> None:
+        await _setup_entity_impl(var_or_platform, config, platform)
+        finalize_entity_strings(var_or_platform, config)
+
+    return _do()
 
 
 async def _setup_entity_impl(var: MockObj, config: ConfigType, platform: str) -> None:
diff --git a/esphome/core/hal.h b/esphome/core/hal.h
index a0593b811a..c2c9b1a325 100644
--- a/esphome/core/hal.h
+++ b/esphome/core/hal.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ void arch_feed_wdt();
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_cycle_count();
 uint32_t arch_get_cpu_freq_hz();
 uint8_t progmem_read_byte(const uint8_t *addr);
-uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr);
 const char *progmem_read_ptr(const char *const *addr);
+uint16_t progmem_read_uint16(const uint16_t *addr);
 
 }  // namespace esphome
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/core/test_entity_helpers.py b/tests/unit_tests/core/test_entity_helpers.py
index 5dc017a5ed..a5cfad5ab6 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/core/test_entity_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/core/test_entity_helpers.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from esphome.core.entity_helpers import (
     _setup_entity_impl,
     entity_duplicate_validator,
     get_base_entity_object_id,
+    setup_entity,
 )
 from esphome.cpp_generator import MockObj
 from esphome.helpers import sanitize, snake_case
@@ -924,3 +925,51 @@ async def test_setup_entity_with_entity_category(
     assert any(
         'set_entity_category("diagnostic")' in expr for expr in added_expressions
     )
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_setup_entity_direct_call(setup_test_environment: list[str]) -> None:
+    """Test setup_entity in direct call mode (legacy / backward compat)."""
+    added_expressions = setup_test_environment
+
+    var = MockObj("camera1")
+    config = {
+        CONF_NAME: "My Camera",
+        CONF_DISABLED_BY_DEFAULT: False,
+        CONF_ICON: "mdi:camera",
+    }
+
+    # Direct call mode: await setup_entity(var, config, "camera")
+    await setup_entity(var, config, "camera")
+
+    # Should have called set_name
+    object_id = extract_object_id_from_expressions(added_expressions)
+    assert object_id == "my_camera"
+
+    # Icon index should have been stored and finalized
+    assert config.get("_entity_icon_idx", 0) > 0
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_setup_entity_decorator_mode(setup_test_environment: list[str]) -> None:
+    """Test setup_entity in decorator mode."""
+    added_expressions = setup_test_environment
+
+    body_called = False
+
+    @setup_entity("sensor")
+    async def my_setup(var, config):
+        nonlocal body_called
+        body_called = True
+
+    var = MockObj("sensor1")
+    config = {
+        CONF_NAME: "Temperature",
+        CONF_DISABLED_BY_DEFAULT: False,
+    }
+
+    await my_setup(var, config)
+
+    assert body_called
+    object_id = extract_object_id_from_expressions(added_expressions)
+    assert object_id == "temperature"