diff --git a/esphome/components/logger/__init__.py b/esphome/components/logger/__init__.py
index c24cc19e7b..cadd0a14ae 100644
--- a/esphome/components/logger/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/logger/__init__.py
@@ -578,6 +578,8 @@ async def final_step():
     if domain_data.get(KEY_LEVEL_LISTENERS, False):
         cg.add_define("USE_LOGGER_LEVEL_LISTENERS")
 
-    # Set exact count of log listeners - runtime will silently drop listeners if exceeded
+    # Only generate log listener code if any component needs it
     log_listener_count = domain_data.get(KEY_LOG_LISTENERS, 0)
-    cg.add_define("ESPHOME_LOG_MAX_LISTENERS", log_listener_count)
+    if log_listener_count > 0:
+        cg.add_define("USE_LOG_LISTENERS")
+        cg.add_define("ESPHOME_LOG_MAX_LISTENERS", log_listener_count)
diff --git a/esphome/components/logger/logger.cpp b/esphome/components/logger/logger.cpp
index 1b41bc3d47..fb9a33e612 100644
--- a/esphome/components/logger/logger.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/logger/logger.cpp
@@ -156,8 +156,10 @@ void Logger::log_vprintf_(uint8_t level, const char *tag, int line, const __Flas
       this->tx_buffer_at_ - msg_start;  // Don't subtract 1 - tx_buffer_at_ is already at the null terminator position
 
   // Listeners get message first (before console write)
+#ifdef USE_LOG_LISTENERS
   for (auto *listener : this->log_listeners_)
     listener->on_log(level, tag, this->tx_buffer_ + msg_start, msg_length);
+#endif
 
   // Write to console starting at the msg_start
   this->write_tx_buffer_to_console_(msg_start, &msg_length);
diff --git a/esphome/components/logger/logger.h b/esphome/components/logger/logger.h
index ea63f9e07c..c8491c5967 100644
--- a/esphome/components/logger/logger.h
+++ b/esphome/components/logger/logger.h
@@ -212,8 +212,13 @@ class Logger : public Component {
 
   inline uint8_t level_for(const char *tag);
 
+#ifdef USE_LOG_LISTENERS
   /// Register a log listener to receive log messages
   void add_log_listener(LogListener *listener) { this->log_listeners_.push_back(listener); }
+#else
+  /// No-op when log listeners are disabled
+  void add_log_listener(LogListener *listener) {}
+#endif
 
 #ifdef USE_LOGGER_LEVEL_LISTENERS
   /// Register a listener for log level changes
@@ -293,8 +298,10 @@ class Logger : public Component {
                                                 this->tx_buffer_size_);
 
     // Listeners get message WITHOUT newline (for API/MQTT/syslog)
+#ifdef USE_LOG_LISTENERS
     for (auto *listener : this->log_listeners_)
       listener->on_log(level, tag, this->tx_buffer_, this->tx_buffer_at_);
+#endif
 
     // Console gets message WITH newline (if platform needs it)
     this->write_tx_buffer_to_console_();
@@ -311,8 +318,10 @@ class Logger : public Component {
     this->write_body_to_buffer_(text, text_length, this->tx_buffer_, &this->tx_buffer_at_, this->tx_buffer_size_);
     this->write_footer_to_buffer_(this->tx_buffer_, &this->tx_buffer_at_, this->tx_buffer_size_);
     this->tx_buffer_[this->tx_buffer_at_] = '\0';
+#ifdef USE_LOG_LISTENERS
     for (auto *listener : this->log_listeners_)
       listener->on_log(level, tag, this->tx_buffer_, this->tx_buffer_at_);
+#endif
   }
 #endif
 
@@ -369,8 +378,10 @@ class Logger : public Component {
 #ifdef USE_LOGGER_RUNTIME_TAG_LEVELS
   std::map<const char *, uint8_t, CStrCompare> log_levels_{};
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_LOG_LISTENERS
   StaticVector<LogListener *, ESPHOME_LOG_MAX_LISTENERS>
       log_listeners_;  // Log message listeners (API, MQTT, syslog, etc.)
+#endif
 #ifdef USE_LOGGER_LEVEL_LISTENERS
   std::vector<LoggerLevelListener *> level_listeners_;  // Log level change listeners
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/mqtt/__init__.py b/esphome/components/mqtt/__init__.py
index d7b9b244c0..f53df5564c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mqtt/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/mqtt/__init__.py
@@ -351,9 +351,6 @@ async def to_code(config):
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
 
-    # Request a log listener slot for MQTT log streaming
-    logger.request_log_listener()
-
     # Add required libraries for ESP8266 and LibreTiny
     if CORE.is_esp8266 or CORE.is_libretiny:
         # https://github.com/heman/async-mqtt-client/blob/master/library.json
@@ -436,6 +433,8 @@ async def to_code(config):
         cg.add(var.disable_log_message())
     else:
         cg.add(var.set_log_message_template(exp_mqtt_message(log_topic)))
+        # Request a log listener slot only when log topic is enabled
+        logger.request_log_listener()
 
         if CONF_LEVEL in log_topic:
             cg.add(var.set_log_level(logger.LOG_LEVELS[log_topic[CONF_LEVEL]]))
diff --git a/esphome/core/defines.h b/esphome/core/defines.h
index 2df0552edf..3cc48c6008 100644
--- a/esphome/core/defines.h
+++ b/esphome/core/defines.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 
 // logger
 #define ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL_VERY_VERBOSE
+#define USE_LOG_LISTENERS
 #define ESPHOME_LOG_MAX_LISTENERS 8
 
 // Feature flags