diff --git a/esphome/components/haier/climate.py b/esphome/components/haier/climate.py
index ba76053686..db915e9c7f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/haier/climate.py
+++ b/esphome/components/haier/climate.py
@@ -186,7 +186,12 @@ def _base_config_schema(class_: MockObjClass) -> cv.Schema:
                 cv.Optional(
                     CONF_ANSWER_TIMEOUT,
                 ): cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
-                cv.Optional(CONF_ON_STATUS_MESSAGE): automation.validate_automation({}),
+                # data points into the protocol's receive buffer, reused for the next frame
+                cv.Optional(
+                    CONF_ON_STATUS_MESSAGE
+                ): automation.validate_synchronous_automation(
+                    "on_status_message", "the received frame"
+                ),
             }
         )
         .extend(uart.UART_DEVICE_SCHEMA)
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/haier/__init__.py b/tests/component_tests/haier/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/haier/test_status_message_automation.py b/tests/component_tests/haier/test_status_message_automation.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5f4927fe10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/component_tests/haier/test_status_message_automation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+"""Tests that haier on_status_message automations reject deferring actions.
+
+The trigger passes a pointer into the protocol's receive buffer, which is reused for the next
+frame, so the deferring-actions guard is a safety property.
+"""
+
+from collections.abc import Callable
+
+import pytest
+
+from esphome import config_validation as cv
+from esphome.components.haier.climate import (
+    CONF_ON_STATUS_MESSAGE,
+    HonClimate,
+    Smartair2Climate,
+    _base_config_schema,
+)
+from esphome.core import Lambda
+from esphome.cpp_generator import MockObjClass
+from esphome.types import ConfigType
+
+CLIMATE_CLASSES = [HonClimate, Smartair2Climate]
+
+DEFERRING_ACTION = {"delay": "1s"}
+SYNCHRONOUS_ACTION = {"lambda": Lambda('ESP_LOGD("test", "ran");')}
+TRUE_CONDITION = {"lambda": Lambda("return true;")}
+
+DEFER_MESSAGE = "Deferring actions"
+
+
+def _trigger_schema(
+    class_: MockObjClass,
+) -> Callable[[list[ConfigType]], list[ConfigType]]:
+    """The validator the protocol's schema applies to on_status_message."""
+    return _base_config_schema(class_).schema[cv.Optional(CONF_ON_STATUS_MESSAGE)]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", CLIMATE_CLASSES)
+def test_synchronous_automation_accepted(class_: MockObjClass) -> None:
+    _trigger_schema(class_)([{"then": [SYNCHRONOUS_ACTION]}])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", CLIMATE_CLASSES)
+def test_deferring_action_rejected(class_: MockObjClass) -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(cv.Invalid, match=DEFER_MESSAGE):
+        _trigger_schema(class_)([{"then": [SYNCHRONOUS_ACTION, DEFERRING_ACTION]}])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", CLIMATE_CLASSES)
+def test_nested_deferring_action_rejected(class_: MockObjClass) -> None:
+    actions = [{"if": {"condition": TRUE_CONDITION, "then": [DEFERRING_ACTION]}}]
+    with pytest.raises(cv.Invalid, match=DEFER_MESSAGE):
+        _trigger_schema(class_)([{"then": actions}])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("class_", CLIMATE_CLASSES)
+def test_deferring_action_in_second_automation_rejected(class_: MockObjClass) -> None:
+    with pytest.raises(cv.Invalid, match=DEFER_MESSAGE):
+        _trigger_schema(class_)(
+            [{"then": [SYNCHRONOUS_ACTION]}, {"then": [DEFERRING_ACTION]}]
+        )
diff --git a/tests/components/haier/common.yaml b/tests/components/haier/common.yaml
index 926a1d1b7a..ab39dfa61d 100644
--- a/tests/components/haier/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/haier/common.yaml
@@ -43,6 +43,12 @@ climate:
             level: DEBUG
             format: "Alarm deactivated. Code: %d. Message: \"%s\""
             args: [code, message]
+    on_status_message:
+      then:
+        - logger.log:
+            level: DEBUG
+            format: "Status message: %u bytes"
+            args: [(unsigned) data_size]
 
 sensor:
   - platform: haier