diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
index ddcccc0b6e..438283e826 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
@@ -199,8 +199,8 @@ void APIServer::loop() {
 #ifdef USE_API_NOISE
 // Refill only while no api client is still connecting; an OTA handshake is
 // not visible here and just pays the refill it triggered.
-void APIServer::prepare_spare_ephemeral_() {
-  if (noise::has_spare_ephemeral() || !network::is_connected()) {
+void APIServer::prepare_spare_ephemeral_slow_() {
+  if (!network::is_connected()) {
     return;
   }
   const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index 673def615a..5e5f472c1f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -364,7 +364,13 @@ class APIServer final : public Component,
 #endif
 
 #ifdef USE_API_NOISE
-  void prepare_spare_ephemeral_();
+  // Polled every loop tick: only the flag test stays inline
+  void prepare_spare_ephemeral_() {
+    if (!noise::has_spare_ephemeral()) {
+      this->prepare_spare_ephemeral_slow_();
+    }
+  }
+  void prepare_spare_ephemeral_slow_();
   noise::NoiseContext noise_ctx_;
 #ifndef USE_API_NOISE_PSK_FROM_YAML
   SavedNoisePsk saved_psk_{};  // backs noise_ctx_ for a runtime provisioned key