diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
index 183820256f..e6fcc018d9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
@@ -338,6 +338,14 @@ void ESP32ImprovComponent::process_incoming_data_() {
           this->incoming_data_.clear();
           return;
         }
+        if (wifi::global_wifi_component->is_disabled()) {
+          // Wi-Fi is disabled, so we can't provision. Respond immediately
+          // instead of letting the client wait out its provisioning timeout.
+          ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Wi-Fi is disabled; cannot provision");
+          this->set_error_(improv::ERROR_UNABLE_TO_CONNECT);
+          this->incoming_data_.clear();
+          return;
+        }
         wifi::WiFiAP sta{};
         sta.set_ssid(command.ssid.c_str());
         sta.set_password(command.password.c_str());
diff --git a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
index 206df2c844..4ee703f363 100644
--- a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@ void ImprovSerialComponent::setup() {
 
   if (wifi::global_wifi_component->has_sta()) {
     this->state_ = improv::STATE_PROVISIONED;
-  } else {
+  } else if (!wifi::global_wifi_component->is_disabled()) {
+    // Respect Wi-Fi's disabled state; forcing a scan while disabled throws
+    // the wifi component into an invalid state from which it cannot recover.
     wifi::global_wifi_component->start_scanning();
   }
 }
@@ -230,6 +232,13 @@ bool ImprovSerialComponent::parse_improv_serial_byte_(uint8_t byte) {
 bool ImprovSerialComponent::parse_improv_payload_(improv::ImprovCommand &command) {
   switch (command.command) {
     case improv::WIFI_SETTINGS: {
+      if (wifi::global_wifi_component->is_disabled()) {
+        // Wi-Fi is disabled, so we can't provision. Respond immediately
+        // instead of letting the client wait out its provisioning timeout.
+        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Wi-Fi is disabled; cannot provision");
+        this->set_error_(improv::ERROR_UNABLE_TO_CONNECT);
+        return true;
+      }
       wifi::WiFiAP sta{};
       sta.set_ssid(command.ssid.c_str());
       sta.set_password(command.password.c_str());
@@ -245,6 +254,14 @@ bool ImprovSerialComponent::parse_improv_payload_(improv::ImprovCommand &command
       return true;
     }
     case improv::GET_CURRENT_STATE:
+      if (wifi::global_wifi_component->is_disabled()) {
+        // Wi-Fi is disabled; report the Improv "stopped" state so a client can tell
+        // the user that provisioning is unavailable. Reported transiently without
+        // disturbing our internal provisioning state machine, so a later `wifi.enable`
+        // still reports the correct state.
+        this->send_current_state_(improv::STATE_STOPPED);
+        return true;
+      }
       this->set_state_(this->state_);
       if (this->state_ == improv::STATE_PROVISIONED) {
         std::vector<uint8_t> url = this->build_rpc_settings_response_(improv::GET_CURRENT_STATE);
@@ -299,6 +316,10 @@ bool ImprovSerialComponent::parse_improv_payload_(improv::ImprovCommand &command
 
 void ImprovSerialComponent::set_state_(improv::State state) {
   this->state_ = state;
+  this->send_current_state_(state);
+}
+
+void ImprovSerialComponent::send_current_state_(improv::State state) {
   this->tx_header_[TX_TYPE_IDX] = TYPE_CURRENT_STATE;
   this->tx_header_[TX_DATA_IDX] = state;
   this->write_data_();
diff --git a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.h b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.h
index c58c42f0d8..70f9214e2d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class ImprovSerialComponent : public Component, public improv_base::ImprovBase {
   bool parse_improv_payload_(improv::ImprovCommand &command);
 
   void set_state_(improv::State state);
+  void send_current_state_(improv::State state);
   void set_error_(improv::Error error);
   void send_response_(std::vector<uint8_t> &response);
   void on_wifi_connect_timeout_();