diff --git a/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host.h b/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host.h
index a6a97d0bd71..ca644de8bea 100644
--- a/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host.h
+++ b/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host.h
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ class USBClient : public Component {
   // Lock-free pool management using atomic bitmask (no dynamic allocation)
   // Bit i = 1: requests_[i] is in use, Bit i = 0: requests_[i] is available
   // Supports multiple concurrent consumers and producers (both threads can allocate/deallocate)
+  // 2-byte members packed together; trq_in_use_ is uint16_t when MAX_REQUESTS <= 16
   std::atomic<trq_bitmask_t> trq_in_use_;
   uint16_t vid_{};
   uint16_t pid_{};
diff --git a/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host_client.cpp b/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host_client.cpp
index a9be38fb03f..5a1e3b9cb81 100644
--- a/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host_client.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/usb_host/usb_host_client.cpp
@@ -233,7 +233,11 @@ void USBClient::setup() {
   if (this->usb_task_handle_ == nullptr) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to create USB task");
     this->mark_failed();
+    return;
   }
+
+  // Start with loop disabled - it will be enabled by client_event_cb when events arrive
+  this->disable_loop();
 }
 
 void USBClient::usb_task_fn(void *arg) {