diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
index fe499c38259..de9d0e703d8 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.cpp
@@ -100,17 +100,6 @@ const LogString *api_error_to_logstr(APIError err) {
   return LOG_STR("UNKNOWN");
 }
 
-// Default implementation for loop - handles draining overflow buffer
-APIError APIFrameHelper::loop() {
-  if (!this->overflow_buf_.empty() && this->overflow_buf_.try_drain(this->socket_.get()) == -1) {
-    HELPER_LOG("Socket write failed with errno %d", errno);
-    if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK)
-      return APIError::SOCKET_WRITE_FAILED;
-  }
-  // Convert WOULD_BLOCK to OK to avoid connection termination
-  return APIError::OK;
-}
-
 // This method writes data to socket or buffers it
 APIError APIFrameHelper::write_raw_(const struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt, uint16_t total_write_len) {
   // Returns APIError::OK if all data was sent or successfully queued.
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
index 133f18c1043..5709a77854c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class APIFrameHelper {
   }
   virtual ~APIFrameHelper() = default;
   virtual APIError init() = 0;
-  virtual APIError loop();
+  virtual APIError loop() = 0;
   virtual APIError read_packet(ReadPacketBuffer *buffer) = 0;
   bool can_write_without_blocking() { return this->state_ == State::DATA && this->overflow_buf_.empty(); }
   int getpeername(struct sockaddr *addr, socklen_t *addrlen) { return socket_->getpeername(addr, addrlen); }
@@ -190,6 +190,16 @@ class APIFrameHelper {
   }
 
  protected:
+  // Drain any backlogged overflow data to the socket.
+  // Returns OK even for WOULD_BLOCK to avoid connection termination.
+  APIError try_drain_overflow_buffer_() {
+    if (!this->overflow_buf_.empty() && this->overflow_buf_.try_drain(this->socket_.get()) == -1) {
+      if (this->check_socket_write_err_(errno) != APIError::WOULD_BLOCK)
+        return APIError::SOCKET_WRITE_FAILED;
+    }
+    return APIError::OK;
+  }
+
   // Common implementation for writing raw data to socket
   APIError write_raw_(const struct iovec *iov, int iovcnt, uint16_t total_write_len);
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_noise.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_noise.cpp
index b635d84f168..8e5300abd7e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_noise.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_noise.cpp
@@ -153,8 +153,7 @@ APIError APINoiseFrameHelper::loop() {
     }
   }
 
-  // Use base class implementation for buffer sending
-  return APIFrameHelper::loop();
+  return this->try_drain_overflow_buffer_();
 }
 
 /** Read a packet into the rx_buf_.
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
index e97b558fa39..99b880c88c6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
@@ -64,8 +64,7 @@ APIError APIPlaintextFrameHelper::loop() {
   if (state_ != State::DATA) {
     return APIError::BAD_STATE;
   }
-  // Use base class implementation for buffer sending
-  return APIFrameHelper::loop();
+  return this->try_drain_overflow_buffer_();
 }
 
 /** Read a packet into the rx_buf_.