diff --git a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/__init__.py
index bc4079ede7..26a4f0d387 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 """IR/RF Proxy component - provides remote_base backend for infrared platform."""
 
 import esphome.codegen as cg
+from esphome.components import remote_base
+from esphome.cpp_generator import MockObj
+from esphome.types import ConfigType
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@kbx81"]
 
@@ -9,3 +12,10 @@ ir_rf_proxy_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace("ir_rf_proxy")
 
 CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID = "remote_receiver_id"
 CONF_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER_ID = "remote_transmitter_id"
+
+
+async def attach_receiver(var: MockObj, config: ConfigType) -> None:
+    """Wire the configured remote_receiver to a proxy entity and register it as a listener."""
+    receiver = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID])
+    cg.add(var.set_receiver(receiver))
+    remote_base.add_listener(receiver, var)
diff --git a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/infrared.py b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/infrared.py
index 54e53f52d4..80bc55d5e9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/infrared.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/infrared.py
@@ -3,18 +3,18 @@
 from typing import Any
 
 import esphome.codegen as cg
-from esphome.components import (
-    infrared,
-    remote_base,
-    remote_receiver,
-    remote_transmitter,
-)
+from esphome.components import infrared, remote_receiver, remote_transmitter
 from esphome.components.const import CONF_RECEIVER_FREQUENCY
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import CONF_CARRIER_DUTY_PERCENT, CONF_FREQUENCY
 import esphome.final_validate as fv
 
-from . import CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID, CONF_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER_ID, ir_rf_proxy_ns
+from . import (
+    CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID,
+    CONF_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER_ID,
+    attach_receiver,
+    ir_rf_proxy_ns,
+)
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@kbx81"]
 DEPENDENCIES = ["infrared"]
@@ -87,9 +87,7 @@ async def to_code(config: dict[str, Any]) -> None:
 
     # Link receiver if specified
     if CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID in config:
-        receiver = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID])
-        cg.add(var.set_receiver(receiver))
-        remote_base.add_listener(receiver, var)
+        await attach_receiver(var, config)
 
     # Set receiver demodulation frequency if specified (metadata only, no hardware effect)
     if CONF_RECEIVER_FREQUENCY in config:
diff --git a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/radio_frequency.py b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/radio_frequency.py
index a4971a30ee..c27100c69b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/radio_frequency.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ir_rf_proxy/radio_frequency.py
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 """Radio Frequency platform implementation using remote_base (remote_transmitter/receiver)."""
 
 import esphome.codegen as cg
-from esphome.components import (
-    radio_frequency,
-    remote_base,
-    remote_receiver,
-    remote_transmitter,
-)
+from esphome.components import radio_frequency, remote_receiver, remote_transmitter
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import CONF_CARRIER_DUTY_PERCENT, CONF_FREQUENCY
 import esphome.final_validate as fv
 from esphome.types import ConfigType
 
-from . import CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID, CONF_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER_ID, ir_rf_proxy_ns
+from . import (
+    CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID,
+    CONF_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER_ID,
+    attach_receiver,
+    ir_rf_proxy_ns,
+)
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@kbx81"]
 DEPENDENCIES = ["radio_frequency"]
@@ -71,6 +71,4 @@ async def to_code(config: ConfigType) -> None:
         cg.add(var.set_transmitter(transmitter))
 
     if CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID in config:
-        receiver = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_REMOTE_RECEIVER_ID])
-        cg.add(var.set_receiver(receiver))
-        remote_base.add_listener(receiver, var)
+        await attach_receiver(var, config)
diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_base/__init__.py b/esphome/components/remote_base/__init__.py
index 140efb838c..0a3476e95b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_base/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_base/__init__.py
@@ -231,6 +231,13 @@ DUMPER_REGISTRY = Registry()
 def validate_dumpers(value):
     if isinstance(value, str) and value.lower() == "all":
         return validate_dumpers(list(DUMPER_REGISTRY.keys()))
+    if isinstance(value, list):
+        # a dumper listed twice would register twice; the receiver holds one secondary dumper
+        value = (
+            list(dict.fromkeys(value))
+            if all(isinstance(v, str) for v in value)
+            else value
+        )
     return cv.validate_registry("dumper", DUMPER_REGISTRY)(value)
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/remote_base/rc_switch_protocol.cpp b/esphome/components/remote_base/rc_switch_protocol.cpp
index 2565eb4fbe..3167ca0849 100644
--- a/esphome/components/remote_base/rc_switch_protocol.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/remote_base/rc_switch_protocol.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 #include "rc_switch_protocol.h"
+
+#include <iterator>
 #include "esphome/core/log.h"
 
 namespace esphome::remote_base {
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ bool RCSwitchBase::decode(RemoteReceiveData &src, uint64_t *out_data, uint8_t *o
 optional<RCSwitchData> RCSwitchBase::decode(RemoteReceiveData &src) const {
   RCSwitchData out;
   uint8_t out_nbits;
-  for (uint8_t i = 1; i <= 8; i++) {
+  for (uint8_t i = 1; i < std::size(RC_SWITCH_PROTOCOLS); i++) {
     src.reset();
     const RCSwitchBase *protocol = &RC_SWITCH_PROTOCOLS[i];
     if (protocol->decode(src, &out.code, &out_nbits) && out_nbits >= 3) {
@@ -226,7 +228,7 @@ bool RCSwitchRawReceiver::matches(RemoteReceiveData src) {
   return decoded_nbits == this->nbits_ && (decoded_code & this->mask_) == (this->code_ & this->mask_);
 }
 bool RCSwitchDumper::dump(RemoteReceiveData src) {
-  for (uint8_t i = 1; i <= 8; i++) {
+  for (uint8_t i = 1; i < std::size(RC_SWITCH_PROTOCOLS); i++) {
     src.reset();
     uint64_t out_data;
     uint8_t out_nbits;
diff --git a/tests/components/remote_receiver/bare-common.yaml b/tests/components/remote_receiver/bare-common.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b39a5aaef9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/remote_receiver/bare-common.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# A receiver with no dumpers and no listeners compiles both lists out
+remote_receiver:
+  - id: rcvr_bare
+    pin: ${pin}
diff --git a/tests/components/remote_receiver/test-bare.esp32-idf.yaml b/tests/components/remote_receiver/test-bare.esp32-idf.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..152853b65f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/remote_receiver/test-bare.esp32-idf.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+substitutions:
+  pin: GPIO2
+
+packages:
+  bare: !include bare-common.yaml