diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index b93bcf9fad..ea19e4642a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ void APIConnection::loop() {
 
   // Section: Process Queue
   start_time = millis();
-  if (this->helper_->can_write_without_blocking()) {
+  if (!this->deferred_message_queue_.empty() && this->helper_->can_write_without_blocking()) {
     this->deferred_message_queue_.process_queue();
   }
   duration = millis() - start_time;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
index 5fb0d16d8d..7a6cf93db3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class DeferredMessageQueue {
   DeferredMessageQueue(APIConnection *api_connection) : api_connection_(api_connection) {}
   void process_queue();
   void defer(void *source, send_message_t send_message);
+  bool empty() const { return deferred_queue_.empty(); }
 };
 
 class APIConnection : public APIServerConnection {