diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
index 966a148221..5ce1e4d695 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.cpp
@@ -46,8 +46,7 @@ void OutgoingConnectionManager::loop(APIServer *server) {
   switch (this->state_) {
     case DialState::DIAL_STATE_IDLE:
       // The connected target went away; give it the configured delay to
-      // reconnect on its own before dialing. (Boot skips this state so a
-      // device whose client never reached it dials right away.)
+      // reconnect on its own before dialing.
       this->state_ = DialState::DIAL_STATE_WAITING;
       this->state_ts_ = now;
       this->wait_ = API_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_DELAY;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.h
index 5581c3e135..aa5a4b7eb2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_outgoing_connection.h
@@ -91,12 +91,17 @@ class OutgoingConnectionManager {
   SavedOutgoingTarget saved_{};
 #endif
   uint32_t backoff_{BACKOFF_MIN_MS};
+  // Boot starts in WAITING, measured from boot: normally the client is
+  // expected to connect in first, so the full delay applies. A deep sleep
+  // device wakes for a short window where connecting out IS the wake state,
+  // so it dials as soon as the network is up.
+#ifdef USE_DEEP_SLEEP
   uint32_t wait_{0};
+#else
+  uint32_t wait_{API_OUTGOING_CONNECTION_DELAY};
+#endif
   uint32_t state_ts_{0};
   uint32_t last_poll_{0};
-  // Boot starts in WAITING with wait_ 0: when no dial-back client has ever
-  // connected (a device its client could never reach), dial immediately.
-  // The configured delay only applies after a connected target goes away.
   DialState state_{DialState::DIAL_STATE_WAITING};
 };