diff --git a/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.cpp b/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.cpp
index 5336c8dd83..9d044dca2d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.cpp
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ PROGMEM_STRING_TABLE(InterruptTypeStrings, "UNKNOWN", "RISING_EDGE", "FALLING_ED
 static const LogString *interrupt_type_to_string(gpio::InterruptType type) {
   return InterruptTypeStrings::get_log_str(static_cast<uint8_t>(type), 0);
 }
-#endif
 
 static const LogString *gpio_mode_to_string(bool use_interrupt) {
   return use_interrupt ? LOG_STR("interrupt") : LOG_STR("polling");
 }
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #ifdef USE_GPIO_BINARY_SENSOR_INTERRUPT
 void IRAM_ATTR GPIOBinarySensorStore::gpio_intr(GPIOBinarySensorStore *arg) {
@@ -64,11 +64,13 @@ void GPIOBinarySensor::setup() {
 void GPIOBinarySensor::dump_config() {
   LOG_BINARY_SENSOR("", "GPIO Binary Sensor", this);
   LOG_PIN("  Pin: ", this->pin_);
-  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Mode: %s", LOG_STR_ARG(gpio_mode_to_string(this->store_.use_interrupt_)));
 #ifdef USE_GPIO_BINARY_SENSOR_INTERRUPT
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Mode: %s", LOG_STR_ARG(gpio_mode_to_string(this->store_.use_interrupt_)));
   if (this->store_.use_interrupt_) {
     ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Interrupt Type: %s", LOG_STR_ARG(interrupt_type_to_string(this->store_.interrupt_type_)));
   }
+#else
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Mode: polling");
 #endif
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.h b/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.h
index 25f6a6c57a..956443fab5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/gpio/binary_sensor/gpio_binary_sensor.h
@@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ class GPIOBinarySensorStore {
   volatile bool state_{false};
   volatile bool changed_{false};
   gpio::InterruptType interrupt_type_{gpio::INTERRUPT_ANY_EDGE};
-#endif
   bool use_interrupt_{true};
+#endif
 };
 
 class GPIOBinarySensor final : public binary_sensor::BinarySensor, public Component {
@@ -51,9 +51,13 @@ class GPIOBinarySensor final : public binary_sensor::BinarySensor, public Compon
   // Interrupts are only detached on reboot when memory is cleared anyway.
 
   void set_pin(GPIOPin *pin) { this->pin_ = pin; }
-  void set_use_interrupt(bool use_interrupt) { this->store_.use_interrupt_ = use_interrupt; }
 #ifdef USE_GPIO_BINARY_SENSOR_INTERRUPT
+  void set_use_interrupt(bool use_interrupt) { this->store_.use_interrupt_ = use_interrupt; }
   void set_interrupt_type(gpio::InterruptType type) { this->store_.interrupt_type_ = type; }
+#else
+  // Polling-only build: codegen still emits set_use_interrupt(false) calls,
+  // so keep the setter as an inlined no-op instead of storing the flag.
+  void set_use_interrupt(bool /*use_interrupt*/) {}
 #endif
   // ========== INTERNAL METHODS ==========
   // (In most use cases you won't need these)
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor.py b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor.py
index f336a9105e..60494d9cba 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor.py
@@ -3,10 +3,15 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from collections.abc import Callable
+import logging
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
 
+from esphome.core import CORE
+
+INTERRUPT_DEFINE = "USE_GPIO_BINARY_SENSOR_INTERRUPT"
+
 
 def test_gpio_binary_sensor_basic_setup(
     generate_main: Callable[[str | Path], str],
@@ -69,3 +74,62 @@ def test_gpio_binary_sensor_explicit_polling_mode(
     )
 
     assert "bs_polling->set_use_interrupt(false);" in main_cpp
+
+
+def test_gpio_binary_sensor_interrupt_emits_define(
+    generate_main: Callable[[str | Path], str],
+) -> None:
+    """
+    An interrupt-mode sensor must emit the define that compiles the ISR code,
+    since the platform ISR pin implementation is only built when needed
+    """
+    generate_main("tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor.yaml")
+
+    assert INTERRUPT_DEFINE in {d.name for d in CORE.defines}
+
+
+def test_gpio_binary_sensor_polling_omits_define(
+    generate_main: Callable[[str | Path], str],
+) -> None:
+    """
+    A polling-only config must not emit the interrupt define, so the ISR code
+    (and its reference to ISRInternalGPIOPin) is compiled out
+    """
+    generate_main("tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_polling.yaml")
+
+    assert INTERRUPT_DEFINE not in {d.name for d in CORE.defines}
+
+
+def test_gpio_binary_sensor_mixed_modes_emit_define(
+    generate_main: Callable[[str | Path], str],
+) -> None:
+    """
+    With one interrupt and one polling sensor, the define is emitted and the
+    polling instance still opts out via its setter
+    """
+    main_cpp = generate_main(
+        "tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_mixed.yaml"
+    )
+
+    assert INTERRUPT_DEFINE in {d.name for d in CORE.defines}
+    assert "bs_polling->set_use_interrupt(false);" in main_cpp
+    assert "bs_interrupt->set_use_interrupt" not in main_cpp
+
+
+def test_gpio_binary_sensor_expander_pin_omits_define(
+    generate_main: Callable[[str | Path], str],
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
+    """
+    An expander pin can't use interrupts: final validation falls back to
+    polling and the interrupt define must not be emitted. This is the config
+    that fails to link if the ISR code is compiled without an internal pin
+    """
+    with caplog.at_level(logging.INFO):
+        main_cpp = generate_main(
+            "tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_expander.yaml"
+        )
+
+    assert "bs_expander->set_use_interrupt(false);" in main_cpp
+    assert INTERRUPT_DEFINE not in {d.name for d in CORE.defines}
+    assert "falling back to polling mode" in caplog.text
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_expander.yaml b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_expander.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f153ccebfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_expander.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+esphome:
+  name: test
+
+esp32:
+  board: esp32dev
+
+i2c:
+  scl: 16
+  sda: 17
+
+ch422g:
+  - id: ch422g_hub
+
+binary_sensor:
+  - platform: gpio
+    name: "Expander Sensor"
+    id: bs_expander
+    pin:
+      ch422g: ch422g_hub
+      number: 1
+      mode: INPUT
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_mixed.yaml b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_mixed.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e8c7ec3fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/component_tests/gpio/test_gpio_binary_sensor_mixed.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+esphome:
+  name: test
+
+esp32:
+  board: esp32dev
+
+binary_sensor:
+  - platform: gpio
+    pin: 5
+    name: "Interrupt Sensor"
+    id: bs_interrupt
+
+  - platform: gpio
+    pin: 4
+    name: "Polling Sensor"
+    id: bs_polling
+    use_interrupt: false
diff --git a/tests/components/gpio/common.yaml b/tests/components/gpio/common.yaml
index bdd71a31e3..b8e8fa81e4 100644
--- a/tests/components/gpio/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/gpio/common.yaml
@@ -3,13 +3,6 @@ binary_sensor:
     pin: ${binary_sensor_pin}
     id: gpio_binary_sensor
 
-  # Polling sensor alongside an interrupt sensor: proves the mixed build where
-  # both code paths are compiled and selected per instance at runtime.
-  - platform: gpio
-    pin: ${binary_sensor_pin_2}
-    id: gpio_binary_sensor_polling
-    use_interrupt: false
-
 output:
   - platform: gpio
     pin: ${output_pin}
diff --git a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-c3-idf.yaml b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-c3-idf.yaml
index 25b80f7dcb..e9071b4356 100644
--- a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-c3-idf.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-c3-idf.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 substitutions:
   binary_sensor_pin: GPIO2
-  binary_sensor_pin_2: GPIO10
   output_pin: GPIO3
   switch_pin: GPIO4
   switch_pin_2: GPIO5
diff --git a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-idf.yaml b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-idf.yaml
index e31d60cdda..862aa533ea 100644
--- a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-idf.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp32-idf.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 substitutions:
   binary_sensor_pin: GPIO12
-  binary_sensor_pin_2: GPIO18
   output_pin: GPIO13
   switch_pin: GPIO14
   switch_pin_2: GPIO15
diff --git a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp8266-ard.yaml b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp8266-ard.yaml
index 3202da753a..e13b4520d1 100644
--- a/tests/components/gpio/test.esp8266-ard.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/gpio/test.esp8266-ard.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 substitutions:
   binary_sensor_pin: GPIO0
-  binary_sensor_pin_2: GPIO4
   output_pin: GPIO2
   switch_pin: GPIO15
   switch_pin_2: GPIO12
diff --git a/tests/components/gpio/test.rp2040-ard.yaml b/tests/components/gpio/test.rp2040-ard.yaml
index b3602e37b4..e9071b4356 100644
--- a/tests/components/gpio/test.rp2040-ard.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/gpio/test.rp2040-ard.yaml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 substitutions:
   binary_sensor_pin: GPIO2
-  binary_sensor_pin_2: GPIO8
   output_pin: GPIO3
   switch_pin: GPIO4
   switch_pin_2: GPIO5