diff --git a/esphome/platformio/library.py b/esphome/platformio/library.py
index 12aaae315e..769b86519f 100644
--- a/esphome/platformio/library.py
+++ b/esphome/platformio/library.py
@@ -620,12 +620,11 @@ def _make_registry_client() -> Any:
     elsewhere, not by the PlatformIO registry.
     """
     from platformio.package.manager._registry import PackageManagerRegistryMixin
-    from platformio.project.helpers import get_project_cache_dir
     from platformio.registry.client import RegistryClient
 
-    # PlatformIO creates its HTTP cache dir without exist_ok, so two builds
-    # making their first registry lookup at once race on it
-    (Path(get_project_cache_dir()) / "http").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    from esphome.platformio.runner import ensure_http_cache_dir
+
+    ensure_http_cache_dir()
 
     class _Registry(PackageManagerRegistryMixin):
         def __init__(self) -> None:
diff --git a/esphome/platformio/prefetch.py b/esphome/platformio/prefetch.py
index 991164eb99..a86b5a63b9 100644
--- a/esphome/platformio/prefetch.py
+++ b/esphome/platformio/prefetch.py
@@ -841,6 +841,10 @@ def _prefetch(build_dir: Path, env: str) -> None:
     from platformio.package.meta import PackageCompatibility, PackageSpec
     from platformio.platform.factory import PlatformFactory
 
+    from esphome.platformio.runner import ensure_http_cache_dir
+
+    # The resolve and install pools each build their own registry client
+    ensure_http_cache_dir()
     platform_spec, config = _project_platform_and_config(
         build_dir / "platformio.ini", env
     )
diff --git a/esphome/platformio/runner.py b/esphome/platformio/runner.py
index b9fbdec38d..cde79af0b6 100644
--- a/esphome/platformio/runner.py
+++ b/esphome/platformio/runner.py
@@ -106,6 +106,17 @@ def patch_file_downloader() -> None:
     FileDownloader.__init__ = patched_init
 
 
+def ensure_http_cache_dir() -> None:
+    """Create PlatformIO's HTTP cache dir before anything resolves a package.
+
+    PlatformIO creates it without exist_ok on the first registry lookup, so
+    concurrent lookups (the prefetch's resolve threads, or two builds) race.
+    """
+    from platformio.project.helpers import get_project_cache_dir
+
+    (Path(get_project_cache_dir()) / "http").mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+
 def patch_registry_private_packages() -> None:
     """Skip PlatformIO's private-package probe; it sleeps ~500 ms per lookup.
 
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_prefetch.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_prefetch.py
index 3f01fb22e6..8a60e9c388 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_prefetch.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_prefetch.py
@@ -561,6 +561,19 @@ def test_registry_lock_deadline_skips_registration(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     manager.set_download_utime.assert_not_called()
 
 
+def test_prefetch_creates_http_cache_dir_first(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    """Eight resolve threads each build a registry client whose cache
+    init has no exist_ok; the dir must exist before any of them run."""
+    from platformio.project import helpers
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(helpers, "get_project_cache_dir", lambda: str(tmp_path))
+    with patch.object(pf, "_project_platform_and_config", return_value=(None, None)):
+        pf._prefetch(tmp_path, "testenv")
+    assert (tmp_path / "http").is_dir()
+
+
 def test_main_interrupt_exits_quietly(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     """Ctrl-C reaches the child via the shared process group; it must exit
     without a traceback."""
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_runner.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_runner.py
index 007455f45a..b108cf298a 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_runner.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_platformio_runner.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ from __future__ import annotations
 
 from collections.abc import Callable
 import io
+from pathlib import Path
 import sys
 from types import ModuleType
 from unittest.mock import Mock
@@ -110,6 +111,20 @@ def test_main_applies_registry_private_packages_patch(
     assert order == ["patch", "pio"]
 
 
+def test_ensure_http_cache_dir_is_idempotent(
+    monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch, tmp_path: Path
+) -> None:
+    """The dir exists before PlatformIO's non-exist_ok makedirs, and a
+    second caller (another thread or build) does not trip over it."""
+    from platformio.project import helpers
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(helpers, "get_project_cache_dir", lambda: str(tmp_path / "c"))
+
+    runner.ensure_http_cache_dir()
+    assert (tmp_path / "c" / "http").is_dir()
+    runner.ensure_http_cache_dir()
+
+
 # Snapshot PlatformIO's own probe at import, before any test can patch it
 _PIO_PROBE = RegistryClient.__dict__["allowed_private_packages"]