diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 3af1709774d..706d521c68d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -136,6 +136,44 @@ jobs:
           if-no-files-found: ignore
           retention-days: 14
 
+  device-builder:
+    name: Test downstream esphome/device-builder
+    runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
+    needs:
+      - common
+      - determine-jobs
+    if: needs.determine-jobs.outputs.device-builder == 'true'
+    steps:
+      - name: Check out esphome (this PR)
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+        with:
+          path: esphome
+      - name: Check out esphome/device-builder
+        uses: actions/checkout@de0fac2e4500dabe0009e67214ff5f5447ce83dd # v6.0.2
+        with:
+          repository: esphome/device-builder
+          ref: main
+          path: device-builder
+      - name: Set up Python
+        uses: actions/setup-python@a309ff8b426b58ec0e2a45f0f869d46889d02405 # v6.2.0
+        with:
+          python-version: "3.13"
+          cache: pip
+          cache-dependency-path: |
+            device-builder/pyproject.toml
+            esphome/requirements.txt
+      - name: Install device-builder + esphome from PR
+        run: |
+          python -m pip install --upgrade pip
+          # Install device-builder with its esphome + test extras first so its
+          # pinned versions of pytest/etc. land, then overlay the PR's esphome
+          # so the downstream tests run against this PR's Python code.
+          pip install -e './device-builder[esphome]' -e './device-builder[test]'
+          pip install -e ./esphome
+      - name: Run device-builder pytest
+        working-directory: device-builder
+        run: pytest -q --maxfail=5 --durations=10 --no-cov --ignore=tests/benchmarks
+
   pytest:
     name: Run pytest
     strategy:
@@ -204,6 +242,7 @@ jobs:
       clang-tidy-mode: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.clang-tidy-mode }}
       python-linters: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.python-linters }}
       import-time: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.import-time }}
+      device-builder: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.device-builder }}
       changed-components: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.changed-components }}
       changed-components-with-tests: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.changed-components-with-tests }}
       directly-changed-components-with-tests: ${{ steps.determine.outputs.directly-changed-components-with-tests }}
@@ -247,6 +286,7 @@ jobs:
           echo "clang-tidy-mode=$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.clang_tidy_mode')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "python-linters=$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.python_linters')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "import-time=$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.import_time')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
+          echo "device-builder=$(echo "$output" | jq -r '.device_builder')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "changed-components=$(echo "$output" | jq -c '.changed_components')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "changed-components-with-tests=$(echo "$output" | jq -c '.changed_components_with_tests')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
           echo "directly-changed-components-with-tests=$(echo "$output" | jq -c '.directly_changed_components_with_tests')" >> $GITHUB_OUTPUT
@@ -1063,6 +1103,7 @@ jobs:
       - clang-tidy-nosplit
       - clang-tidy-split
       - determine-jobs
+      - device-builder
       - test-build-components-split
       - pre-commit-ci-lite
       - memory-impact-target-branch
diff --git a/script/determine-jobs.py b/script/determine-jobs.py
index c0cf8ecbdc8..8193fa90509 100755
--- a/script/determine-jobs.py
+++ b/script/determine-jobs.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ what files have changed. It outputs JSON with the following structure:
   "clang_tidy": true/false,
   "clang_format": true/false,
   "python_linters": true/false,
+  "device_builder": true/false,
   "changed_components": ["component1", "component2", ...],
   "component_test_count": 5,
   "memory_impact": {
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ The CI workflow uses this information to:
 - Skip or run clang-tidy (and whether to do a full scan)
 - Skip or run clang-format
 - Skip or run Python linters (ruff, flake8, pylint, pyupgrade)
+- Skip or run downstream esphome/device-builder tests against the PR's Python code
 - Determine which components to test individually
 - Decide how to split component tests (if there are many)
 - Run memory impact analysis whenever there are changed components (merged config), and also for core-only changes
@@ -440,6 +442,39 @@ def should_run_import_time(branch: str | None = None) -> bool:
     return False
 
 
+# Files outside esphome/**/*.py whose changes can affect the downstream
+# device-builder build. requirements.txt / pyproject.toml change the runtime
+# dependency graph that device-builder picks up when it installs esphome.
+DEVICE_BUILDER_TRIGGER_FILES = frozenset(
+    {
+        "requirements.txt",
+        "pyproject.toml",
+    }
+)
+
+
+def should_run_device_builder(branch: str | None = None) -> bool:
+    """Determine if downstream esphome/device-builder tests should run.
+
+    device-builder imports esphome as a library, so whenever the importable
+    Python surface or the runtime dependencies change we re-run its test
+    suite against the PR's code to catch breakage we'd otherwise only see
+    after a release.
+
+    Args:
+        branch: Branch to compare against. If None, uses default.
+
+    Returns:
+        True if the device-builder downstream tests should run, False otherwise.
+    """
+    for file in changed_files(branch):
+        if file.startswith("esphome/") and file.endswith(PYTHON_FILE_EXTENSIONS):
+            return True
+        if file in DEVICE_BUILDER_TRIGGER_FILES:
+            return True
+    return False
+
+
 def determine_cpp_unit_tests(
     branch: str | None = None,
 ) -> tuple[bool, list[str]]:
@@ -874,6 +909,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     run_clang_format = should_run_clang_format(args.branch)
     run_python_linters = should_run_python_linters(args.branch)
     run_import_time = should_run_import_time(args.branch)
+    run_device_builder = should_run_device_builder(args.branch)
     changed_cpp_file_count = count_changed_cpp_files(args.branch)
 
     # Get changed components
@@ -1007,6 +1043,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         "clang_format": run_clang_format,
         "python_linters": run_python_linters,
         "import_time": run_import_time,
+        "device_builder": run_device_builder,
         "changed_components": changed_components,
         "changed_components_with_tests": changed_components_with_tests,
         "directly_changed_components_with_tests": list(directly_changed_with_tests),
diff --git a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
index e85f1757b03..75a6d42f8ef 100644
--- a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
+++ b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ def mock_should_run_import_time() -> Generator[Mock, None, None]:
         yield mock
 
 
+@pytest.fixture
+def mock_should_run_device_builder() -> Generator[Mock, None, None]:
+    """Mock should_run_device_builder from determine_jobs."""
+    with patch.object(determine_jobs, "should_run_device_builder") as mock:
+        yield mock
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests() -> Generator[Mock, None, None]:
     """Mock determine_cpp_unit_tests from helpers."""
@@ -99,6 +106,7 @@ def test_main_all_tests_should_run(
     mock_should_run_clang_format: Mock,
     mock_should_run_python_linters: Mock,
     mock_should_run_import_time: Mock,
+    mock_should_run_device_builder: Mock,
     mock_changed_files: Mock,
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests: Mock,
     capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
@@ -113,6 +121,7 @@ def test_main_all_tests_should_run(
     mock_should_run_clang_format.return_value = True
     mock_should_run_python_linters.return_value = True
     mock_should_run_import_time.return_value = True
+    mock_should_run_device_builder.return_value = True
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests.return_value = (False, ["wifi", "api", "sensor"])
 
     # Mock changed_files to return non-component files (to avoid memory impact)
@@ -193,6 +202,7 @@ def test_main_all_tests_should_run(
     assert output["clang_format"] is True
     assert output["python_linters"] is True
     assert output["import_time"] is True
+    assert output["device_builder"] is True
     assert output["changed_components"] == ["wifi", "api", "sensor"]
     # changed_components_with_tests will only include components that actually have test files
     assert "changed_components_with_tests" in output
@@ -225,6 +235,7 @@ def test_main_no_tests_should_run(
     mock_should_run_clang_format: Mock,
     mock_should_run_python_linters: Mock,
     mock_should_run_import_time: Mock,
+    mock_should_run_device_builder: Mock,
     mock_changed_files: Mock,
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests: Mock,
     capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
@@ -239,6 +250,7 @@ def test_main_no_tests_should_run(
     mock_should_run_clang_format.return_value = False
     mock_should_run_python_linters.return_value = False
     mock_should_run_import_time.return_value = False
+    mock_should_run_device_builder.return_value = False
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests.return_value = (False, [])
 
     # Mock changed_files to return no component files
@@ -278,6 +290,7 @@ def test_main_no_tests_should_run(
     assert output["clang_format"] is False
     assert output["python_linters"] is False
     assert output["import_time"] is False
+    assert output["device_builder"] is False
     assert output["changed_components"] == []
     assert output["changed_components_with_tests"] == []
     assert output["component_test_count"] == 0
@@ -299,6 +312,7 @@ def test_main_with_branch_argument(
     mock_should_run_clang_format: Mock,
     mock_should_run_python_linters: Mock,
     mock_should_run_import_time: Mock,
+    mock_should_run_device_builder: Mock,
     mock_changed_files: Mock,
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests: Mock,
     capsys: pytest.CaptureFixture[str],
@@ -313,6 +327,7 @@ def test_main_with_branch_argument(
     mock_should_run_clang_format.return_value = False
     mock_should_run_python_linters.return_value = True
     mock_should_run_import_time.return_value = True
+    mock_should_run_device_builder.return_value = True
     mock_determine_cpp_unit_tests.return_value = (False, ["mqtt"])
 
     # Mock changed_files to return non-component files (to avoid memory impact)
@@ -350,6 +365,7 @@ def test_main_with_branch_argument(
     mock_should_run_clang_format.assert_called_once_with("main")
     mock_should_run_python_linters.assert_called_once_with("main")
     mock_should_run_import_time.assert_called_once_with("main")
+    mock_should_run_device_builder.assert_called_once_with("main")
 
     # Check output
     captured = capsys.readouterr()
@@ -362,6 +378,7 @@ def test_main_with_branch_argument(
     assert output["clang_format"] is False
     assert output["python_linters"] is True
     assert output["import_time"] is True
+    assert output["device_builder"] is True
     assert output["changed_components"] == ["mqtt"]
     # changed_components_with_tests will only include components that actually have test files
     assert "changed_components_with_tests" in output
@@ -734,6 +751,50 @@ def test_should_run_import_time_with_branch() -> None:
         mock_changed.assert_called_once_with("release")
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    ("changed_files", "expected_result"),
+    [
+        # esphome Python files trigger downstream device-builder tests
+        (["esphome/__main__.py"], True),
+        (["esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py"], True),
+        (["esphome/core/config.py"], True),
+        (["esphome/types.pyi"], True),
+        # Runtime dependency changes trigger
+        (["requirements.txt"], True),
+        (["pyproject.toml"], True),
+        # Mixed: any triggering file is enough
+        (["docs/README.md", "esphome/config.py"], True),
+        # Dev/test-only dependency changes don't trigger device-builder
+        # (they don't affect the importable surface device-builder uses)
+        (["requirements_dev.txt"], False),
+        (["requirements_test.txt"], False),
+        # Python files outside esphome/ don't trigger
+        (["script/some_other_script.py"], False),
+        (["tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py"], False),
+        # Non-Python changes don't trigger
+        (["esphome/core/component.cpp"], False),
+        (["tests/components/wifi/test.esp32-idf.yaml"], False),
+        (["README.md"], False),
+        ([], False),
+    ],
+)
+def test_should_run_device_builder(
+    changed_files: list[str], expected_result: bool
+) -> None:
+    """Test should_run_device_builder function."""
+    with patch.object(determine_jobs, "changed_files", return_value=changed_files):
+        result = determine_jobs.should_run_device_builder()
+        assert result == expected_result
+
+
+def test_should_run_device_builder_with_branch() -> None:
+    """Test should_run_device_builder with branch argument."""
+    with patch.object(determine_jobs, "changed_files") as mock_changed:
+        mock_changed.return_value = []
+        determine_jobs.should_run_device_builder("release")
+        mock_changed.assert_called_once_with("release")
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     ("changed_files", "expected_result"),
     [