diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
index 2fdcd87da5..2fd9196579 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper_plaintext.cpp
@@ -129,7 +129,8 @@ APIError APIPlaintextFrameHelper::try_read_frame_() {
     // Skip indicator byte at position 0
     uint8_t varint_pos = 1;
 
-    auto msg_size_varint = ProtoVarInt::parse(&rx_header_buf_[varint_pos], rx_header_buf_pos_ - varint_pos);
+    // rx_header_buf_pos_ >= 3 and varint_pos == 1, so len >= 2
+    auto msg_size_varint = ProtoVarInt::parse_non_empty(&rx_header_buf_[varint_pos], rx_header_buf_pos_ - varint_pos);
     if (!msg_size_varint.has_value()) {
       // not enough data there yet
       continue;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/proto.cpp b/esphome/components/api/proto.cpp
index 7e01185849..5dbeae7758 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/proto.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/proto.cpp
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ uint32_t ProtoDecodableMessage::count_repeated_field(const uint8_t *buffer, size
   const uint8_t *end = buffer + length;
 
   while (ptr < end) {
-    // Parse field header (tag)
-    auto res = ProtoVarInt::parse(ptr, end - ptr);
+    // Parse field header (tag) - ptr < end guarantees len >= 1
+    auto res = ProtoVarInt::parse_non_empty(ptr, end - ptr);
     if (!res.has_value()) {
       break;  // Invalid data, stop counting
     }
@@ -208,8 +208,8 @@ void ProtoDecodableMessage::decode(const uint8_t *buffer, size_t length) {
   const uint8_t *end = buffer + length;
 
   while (ptr < end) {
-    // Parse field header
-    auto res = ProtoVarInt::parse(ptr, end - ptr);
+    // Parse field header - ptr < end guarantees len >= 1
+    auto res = ProtoVarInt::parse_non_empty(ptr, end - ptr);
     if (!res.has_value()) {
       ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Invalid field start at offset %ld", (long) (ptr - buffer));
       return;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/proto.h b/esphome/components/api/proto.h
index ebb0ecdd79..86746c949f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/proto.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/proto.h
@@ -132,9 +132,9 @@ class ProtoVarInt {
 
   /// Parse a varint from buffer. Caller must ensure len >= 1.
   /// Returns result with consumed=0 on failure (truncated multi-byte varint).
-  static inline ProtoVarIntResult ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE parse(const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len) {
+  static inline ProtoVarIntResult ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE parse_non_empty(const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len) {
 #ifdef ESPHOME_DEBUG_API
-    assert(len > 0);  // All callers guarantee len > 0
+    assert(len > 0);
 #endif
     // Fast path: single-byte varints (0-127) are the most common case
     // (booleans, small enums, field tags, small message sizes/types).
@@ -143,6 +143,14 @@ class ProtoVarInt {
     return parse_slow(buffer, len);
   }
 
+  /// Parse a varint from buffer (safe for empty buffers).
+  /// Returns result with consumed=0 on failure (empty buffer or truncated varint).
+  static inline ProtoVarIntResult ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE parse(const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len) {
+    if (len == 0)
+      return {0, PROTO_VARINT_PARSE_FAILED};
+    return parse_non_empty(buffer, len);
+  }
+
  protected:
   // Slow path for multi-byte varints (>= 128), outlined to keep fast path small
   static ProtoVarIntResult parse_slow(const uint8_t *buffer, uint32_t len) __attribute__((noinline));