diff --git a/esphome/espidf/bootloader.py b/esphome/espidf/bootloader.py
index 925d406e0b5..c514a5aaab9 100644
--- a/esphome/espidf/bootloader.py
+++ b/esphome/espidf/bootloader.py
@@ -359,7 +359,12 @@ def ensure_cached_bootloader(verbose: bool = False) -> bool:
     table_offset = (app_config or {}).get("PARTITION_TABLE_OFFSET")
     compiler = toolchain._resolved_c_compiler()
     if offset is None or table_offset is None or compiler is None:
-        _LOGGER.debug("Bootloader cache unusable: app configure outputs missing")
+        _LOGGER.info(
+            "Bootloader cache unusable: offset=%s table_offset=%s compiler=%s",
+            offset,
+            table_offset,
+            compiler,
+        )
         return False
     try:
         dest = _install_cached(app_config, compiler, verbose)
diff --git a/tests/unit_tests/test_espidf_bootloader.py b/tests/unit_tests/test_espidf_bootloader.py
index de5423363bd..1026bb61b56 100644
--- a/tests/unit_tests/test_espidf_bootloader.py
+++ b/tests/unit_tests/test_espidf_bootloader.py
@@ -484,9 +484,13 @@ def test_size_check_overflow_raises(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
 # ------------------------------------------------------------ orchestration
 
 
-def test_ensure_fails_soft_without_configure_outputs() -> None:
+def test_ensure_fails_soft_without_configure_outputs(
+    caplog: pytest.LogCaptureFixture,
+) -> None:
     """No app config or compiler id means fall back, not crash."""
-    assert bootloader.ensure_cached_bootloader() is False
+    with caplog.at_level("INFO"):
+        assert bootloader.ensure_cached_bootloader() is False
+    assert "cache unusable" in caplog.text  # says which input is missing
 
 
 @contextmanager