diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 72c3762189d..a6b9f3580d6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -339,6 +339,7 @@ jobs:
         with:
           run: ${{ steps.build.outputs.binary }}
           token: ${{ secrets.CODSPEED_TOKEN }}
+          mode: simulation
 
   clang-tidy-single:
     name: ${{ matrix.name }}
diff --git a/script/test_helpers.py b/script/test_helpers.py
index 1941168dafa..3a7e23c0a78 100644
--- a/script/test_helpers.py
+++ b/script/test_helpers.py
@@ -248,7 +248,9 @@ def compile_and_get_binary(
             domain_list = config.setdefault(domain, [])
             CORE.testing_ensure_platform_registered(domain)
             domain_list.append({CONF_PLATFORM: component})
-        else:
+        # Skip "core" — it's a pseudo-component handled by the build
+        # system, not a real loadable component (get_component returns None)
+        elif get_component(component_name) is not None:
             config.setdefault(component_name, [])
 
     # Register platforms from the extra config (benchmark.yaml) so
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/components/api/bench_application_loop.cpp b/tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_application_loop.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/benchmarks/components/api/bench_application_loop.cpp
rename to tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_application_loop.cpp
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_helpers.cpp b/tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_helpers.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..15e0bc5ab1a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_helpers.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#include <benchmark/benchmark.h>
+
+#include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
+
+namespace esphome::benchmarks {
+
+// --- random_float() ---
+// Ported from ol.yaml:148 "Random Float Benchmark"
+
+static void BM_RandomFloat(benchmark::State &state) {
+  for (auto _ : state) {
+    benchmark::DoNotOptimize(random_float());
+  }
+}
+BENCHMARK(BM_RandomFloat);
+
+// --- random_uint32() ---
+
+static void BM_RandomUint32(benchmark::State &state) {
+  for (auto _ : state) {
+    benchmark::DoNotOptimize(random_uint32());
+  }
+}
+BENCHMARK(BM_RandomUint32);
+
+}  // namespace esphome::benchmarks
diff --git a/tests/benchmarks/components/api/bench_scheduler.cpp b/tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_scheduler.cpp
similarity index 100%
rename from tests/benchmarks/components/api/bench_scheduler.cpp
rename to tests/benchmarks/components/core/bench_scheduler.cpp