diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
index 40a03c97b8..8e30d21776 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32/__init__.py
@@ -628,7 +628,6 @@ class NetworkSdkconfigData:
     wifi_ap: bool = False  # WiFi AP mode configured
     ethernet: bool = False  # Ethernet component active
     bluetooth: bool = False  # any BLE component active
-    ble_42: bool = False  # BLE 4.2 features needed
     software_coexistence: bool = False  # WiFi/BT software coexistence requested
     # esp32 advanced enable_lwip_dhcp_server option (True/False/None=unset)
     enable_lwip_dhcp_server: bool | None = None
@@ -654,12 +653,10 @@ def request_ethernet() -> None:
     _network_sdkconfig().ethernet = True
 
 
-def request_bluetooth(ble_42: bool = False) -> None:
-    """Request the Bluetooth controller. Pass ble_42=True for 4.2 features."""
+def request_bluetooth() -> None:
+    """Request the Bluetooth controller."""
     net = _network_sdkconfig()
     net.bluetooth = True
-    if ble_42:
-        net.ble_42 = True
 
 
 def request_software_coexistence() -> None:
@@ -2055,12 +2052,12 @@ async def _reconcile_network_sdkconfig() -> None:
         if name not in opts:
             add_idf_sdkconfig_option(name, value)
 
-    # Bluetooth: only ever enable when requested. The IDF default is off and
-    # nothing sets these False today, so never write False here.
+    # Bluetooth: only ever enable when requested. The IDF default is off.
+    # According to the IDF docs, only one of 4.2 or 5.0 should be enabled.
     if net.bluetooth:
         set_opt("CONFIG_BT_ENABLED", True)
-        if net.ble_42:
-            set_opt("CONFIG_BT_BLE_42_FEATURES_SUPPORTED", True)
+        set_opt("CONFIG_BT_BLE_42_FEATURES_SUPPORTED", True)
+        set_opt("CONFIG_BT_BLE_50_FEATURES_SUPPORTED", False)
 
     # WiFi stack: disable only when Ethernet is present and WiFi is not. WiFi
     # relies on the IDF default (enabled), so it is never written True here.
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32_ble/__init__.py
index c8613963b9..72cb10caac 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble/__init__.py
@@ -576,7 +576,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
     max_connections = config.get(CONF_MAX_CONNECTIONS, DEFAULT_MAX_CONNECTIONS)
     cg.add_define("USE_ESP32_BLE_MAX_CONNECTIONS", max_connections)
 
-    request_bluetooth(ble_42=True)
+    request_bluetooth()
 
     # When PSRAM and BT are used together, Bluedroid should prefer SPIRAM for
     # heap allocations and use dynamic (heap-based) environment memory tables
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_beacon/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_beacon/__init__.py
index 7a59cce19b..d762255040 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_beacon/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_beacon/__init__.py
@@ -86,4 +86,4 @@ async def to_code(config):
 
     cg.add_define("USE_ESP32_BLE_ADVERTISING")
 
-    request_bluetooth(ble_42=True)
+    request_bluetooth()
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py b/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
index c374e7c964..3f4d71ef2a 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/esp32/test_esp32.py
@@ -472,26 +472,18 @@ def test_flash_mode_unset_leaves_defaults(
         ),
         pytest.param(
             PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF,
-            NetworkSdkconfigData(
-                wifi=True, bluetooth=True, ble_42=True, software_coexistence=True
-            ),
+            NetworkSdkconfigData(wifi=True, bluetooth=True, software_coexistence=True),
             {},
             {
                 "CONFIG_BT_ENABLED": True,
                 "CONFIG_BT_BLE_42_FEATURES_SUPPORTED": True,
+                "CONFIG_BT_BLE_50_FEATURES_SUPPORTED": False,
                 "CONFIG_SW_COEXIST_ENABLE": True,
                 "CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_SOFTAP_SUPPORT": False,
                 "CONFIG_LWIP_DHCPS": False,
             },
             id="idf_wifi_ble_tracker_coexistence",
         ),
-        pytest.param(
-            PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF,
-            NetworkSdkconfigData(bluetooth=True),
-            {},
-            {"CONFIG_BT_ENABLED": True},
-            id="idf_ble_server_only_no_ble42",
-        ),
         # --- IDF: user sdkconfig_options always win ---
         pytest.param(
             PlatformFramework.ESP32_IDF,
@@ -612,6 +604,7 @@ def test_network_wifi_ble_coexistence_reconciles_end_to_end(
     sdkconfig = CORE.data[KEY_ESP32][KEY_SDKCONFIG_OPTIONS]
     assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_BT_ENABLED") is True
     assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_BT_BLE_42_FEATURES_SUPPORTED") is True
+    assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_BT_BLE_50_FEATURES_SUPPORTED") is False
     assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_SW_COEXIST_ENABLE") is True
     assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_ESP_WIFI_SOFTAP_SUPPORT") is False
     assert sdkconfig.get("CONFIG_LWIP_DHCPS") is False