diff --git a/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.cpp b/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.cpp
index ae622cda28..f71bec7e5f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.cpp
@@ -746,7 +746,14 @@ void LD2420Component::set_reg_value(uint16_t reg, uint16_t value) {
   this->send_cmd_from_array(cmd_frame);
 }
 
-void LD2420Component::handle_cmd_error(uint8_t error) { ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Command failed: %s", ERR_MESSAGE[error]); }
+void LD2420Component::handle_cmd_error(uint16_t error) {
+  if (error < std::size(ERR_MESSAGE)) {
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Command failed: %s", ERR_MESSAGE[error]);
+  } else {
+    // The error word comes from the device reply frame; unknown codes must not index ERR_MESSAGE
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Command failed: error 0x%04X", error);
+  }
+}
 
 int LD2420Component::get_gate_threshold_(uint8_t gate) {
   uint8_t error;
diff --git a/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.h b/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.h
index ae44b16065..977ee2eccc 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.h
+++ b/esphome/components/ld2420/ld2420.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class LD2420Component final : public Component, public uart::UARTDevice {
   float get_setup_priority() const override;
   int send_cmd_from_array(CmdFrameT cmd_frame);
   void report_gate_data();
-  void handle_cmd_error(uint8_t error);
+  void handle_cmd_error(uint16_t error);
   void set_operating_mode(const char *state);
   void auto_calibrate_sensitivity();
   void update_radar_data(uint16_t const *gate_energy, uint8_t sample_number);