diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
index af5ec9314c..7a03d8f8ad 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
@@ -25,10 +25,6 @@ namespace esphome::api {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "api";
 
-// Grace period before dropping API clients when network disconnects
-// Allows for brief disconnections during WiFi roaming
-static constexpr uint32_t NETWORK_DISCONNECT_GRACE_MS = 10000;
-
 // APIServer
 APIServer *global_api_server = nullptr;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
@@ -110,10 +106,8 @@ void APIServer::setup() {
   }
 #endif
 
-  // Initialize timestamps for timeout tracking
-  const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
-  this->last_connected_ = now;
-  this->network_last_connected_ = now;
+  // Initialize last_connected_ for reboot timeout tracking
+  this->last_connected_ = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
   // Set warning status if reboot timeout is enabled
   if (this->reboot_timeout_ != 0) {
     this->status_set_warning();
@@ -168,22 +162,14 @@ void APIServer::loop() {
 
   // Process clients and remove disconnected ones in a single pass
   // Check network connectivity once for all clients
-  const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
-  if (network::is_connected()) {
-    // Network is up - track this for grace period
-    this->network_last_connected_ = now;
-  } else {
-    // Network is down - check if grace period has expired
-    // This allows brief disconnections during WiFi roaming without dropping API clients
-    if (now - this->network_last_connected_ > NETWORK_DISCONNECT_GRACE_MS) {
-      // Grace period expired - disconnect all clients
-      for (auto &client : this->clients_) {
-        client->on_fatal_error();
-        ESP_LOGW(TAG, "%s (%s): Network down; disconnect", client->client_info_.name.c_str(),
-                 client->client_info_.peername.c_str());
-      }
-      // Continue to process and clean up the clients below
+  if (!network::is_connected()) {
+    // Network is down - disconnect all clients
+    for (auto &client : this->clients_) {
+      client->on_fatal_error();
+      ESP_LOGW(TAG, "%s (%s): Network down; disconnect", client->client_info_.name.c_str(),
+               client->client_info_.peername.c_str());
     }
+    // Continue to process and clean up the clients below
   }
 
   size_t client_index = 0;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index ab7040a740..96c56fd08a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -253,7 +253,6 @@ class APIServer : public Component,
   // 4-byte aligned types
   uint32_t reboot_timeout_{300000};
   uint32_t last_connected_{0};
-  uint32_t network_last_connected_{0};  // Track when network was last connected (for roaming grace period)
 
   // Vectors and strings (12 bytes each on 32-bit)
   std::vector<std::unique_ptr<APIConnection>> clients_;
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp8266.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp8266.cpp
index 1c744648bb..335112a6f9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp8266.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp8266.cpp
@@ -242,7 +242,11 @@ bool WiFiComponent::wifi_sta_connect_(const WiFiAP &ap) {
   if (!this->wifi_mode_(true, {}))
     return false;
 
-  this->wifi_disconnect_();
+  // Skip disconnect for roaming - let the SDK handle the transition
+  // This preserves TCP connections during the brief AP switch
+  if (!this->roaming_connect_active_) {
+    this->wifi_disconnect_();
+  }
 
   struct station_config conf {};
   memset(&conf, 0, sizeof(conf));