diff --git a/esphome/build_helpers/pch.py b/esphome/build_helpers/pch.py
index 25dc9a7ae1..dc23942c8e 100644
--- a/esphome/build_helpers/pch.py
+++ b/esphome/build_helpers/pch.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import re
 from esphome.build_helpers.ccache import effective_ccache_basedir, parse_enable_env
 from esphome.const import (
     PLATFORM_BK72XX,
-    PLATFORM_ESP32,
     PLATFORM_LN882X,
     PLATFORM_NRF52,
     PLATFORM_RTL87XX,
@@ -50,7 +49,6 @@ PCH_DEFAULT_HEADERS = ("esphome/core/pch_prefix.h",)
 PCH_SCRIPT_EXCLUDED_PLATFORMS = frozenset(
     {
         PLATFORM_BK72XX,
-        PLATFORM_ESP32,
         PLATFORM_LN882X,
         PLATFORM_NRF52,
         PLATFORM_RTL87XX,
diff --git a/script/determine-jobs.py b/script/determine-jobs.py
index 3f0143076b..e3a0ff688f 100755
--- a/script/determine-jobs.py
+++ b/script/determine-jobs.py
@@ -546,10 +546,6 @@ ESP32_PLATFORMIO_TRIGGER_PATH_PREFIXES = (
     *_SMOKE_HARNESS_TRIGGER_PATH_PREFIXES,
 )
 
-# Standalone files that, when changed, trigger the PlatformIO compile test:
-#   - esphome/build_gen/platformio.py -- the PlatformIO build generator
-#   - script/test_build_components.py -- the harness the job invokes
-#   - .github/workflows/ci.yml -- the job's own definition
 # Shared by every toolchain smoke-test job: the harness it invokes and the
 # workflow that defines it
 _SMOKE_HARNESS_TRIGGER_FILES = frozenset(
@@ -559,8 +555,14 @@ _SMOKE_HARNESS_TRIGGER_FILES = frozenset(
     }
 )
 
+# Standalone files that, when changed, trigger the PlatformIO compile test
 ESP32_PLATFORMIO_TRIGGER_FILES = _SMOKE_HARNESS_TRIGGER_FILES | {
+    # The PlatformIO build generator
     "esphome/build_gen/platformio.py",
+    # Decides which platforms take the pch script in esphome/platformio/,
+    # and the module that parses its switch and the ccache settings
+    "esphome/build_helpers/pch.py",
+    "esphome/build_helpers/ccache.py",
 }
 
 
diff --git a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
index c3f30b8ed1..49f101d679 100644
--- a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
+++ b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
@@ -1089,6 +1089,9 @@ _ESP32_PLATFORMIO_FULL_LIST_FILES = [
     # PlatformIO subsystem (path-prefix trigger) + build generator
     ["esphome/platformio/runner.py"],
     ["esphome/platformio/toolchain.py"],
+    # Decides which platforms take the pch script
+    ["esphome/build_helpers/pch.py"],
+    ["esphome/build_helpers/ccache.py"],
     ["esphome/build_gen/platformio.py"],
     # Workflow / harness files
     ["script/test_build_components.py"],
@@ -1150,6 +1153,9 @@ def test_esp32_platformio_components_to_test_returns_full_list_on_infrastructure
         # Non-PlatformIO files in esphome/build_gen/ do NOT trigger the
         # full list -- only esphome/build_gen/platformio.py is a trigger.
         (["esphome/build_gen/espidf.py"], [], []),
+        # The rest of build_helpers/ is not a trigger.
+        (["esphome/build_helpers/size_summary.py"], [], []),
+        (["esphome/build_helpers/ninja.py"], [], []),
         # Docs / unrelated files -> empty.
         (["README.md"], [], []),
         ([], [], []),
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/build_helpers/test_pch.py b/tests/unit_tests/build_helpers/test_pch.py
index 9ebcbe604b..a64e9525e6 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/build_helpers/test_pch.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/build_helpers/test_pch.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def test_pch_checksum_tracks_closure_content(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
     assert base != pch.pch_checksum(tmp_path, ["root.h"], ["id"])
 
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize("platform", ["esp8266", "rp2"])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("platform", ["esp32", "esp8266", "rp2"])
 def test_pch_script_enabled(platform: str, monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     CORE.data[KEY_CORE] = {KEY_TARGET_PLATFORM: platform}
     assert pch.pch_script_enabled()