diff --git a/esphome/core/application.cpp b/esphome/core/application.cpp
index 84a1fc346fe..36038c64400 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/application.cpp
@@ -196,21 +196,26 @@ void Application::process_dump_config_() {
   this->dump_config_at_++;
 }
 
-void HOT Application::feed_wdt_slow_(uint32_t time) {
-  // Use provided time if available, otherwise get current time
-  uint32_t now = time ? time : millis();
-  // The inline wrapper already performs this check when time != 0;
-  // repeat it here for the time == 0 entry and as a safety net.
+void Application::feed_wdt() {
+  // Cold entry: callers without a millis() timestamp in hand. Fetches the
+  // time and takes the same rate-limit path as feed_wdt_with_time().
+  uint32_t now = millis();
   if (now - this->last_wdt_feed_ > WDT_FEED_INTERVAL_MS) {
-    arch_feed_wdt();
-    this->last_wdt_feed_ = now;
-#ifdef USE_STATUS_LED
-    if (status_led::global_status_led != nullptr) {
-      status_led::global_status_led->call();
-    }
-#endif
+    this->feed_wdt_slow_(now);
   }
 }
+
+void HOT Application::feed_wdt_slow_(uint32_t time) {
+  // Callers (both feed_wdt() and feed_wdt_with_time()) have already
+  // confirmed the 3 ms rate limit was exceeded.
+  arch_feed_wdt();
+  this->last_wdt_feed_ = time;
+#ifdef USE_STATUS_LED
+  if (status_led::global_status_led != nullptr) {
+    status_led::global_status_led->call();
+  }
+#endif
+}
 void Application::reboot() {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Forcing a reboot");
   for (auto &component : std::ranges::reverse_view(this->components_)) {
@@ -299,7 +304,7 @@ void Application::teardown_components(uint32_t timeout_ms) {
 
   while (pending_count > 0 && (now - start_time) < timeout_ms) {
     // Feed watchdog during teardown to prevent triggering
-    this->feed_wdt(now);
+    this->feed_wdt_with_time(now);
 
     // Process components and compact the array, keeping only those still pending
     size_t still_pending = 0;
diff --git a/esphome/core/application.h b/esphome/core/application.h
index 02af5664a45..52b976b8bdf 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.h
+++ b/esphome/core/application.h
@@ -390,15 +390,16 @@ class Application {
   /// watchdog timeout (seconds) has orders of magnitude of safety margin.
   static constexpr uint32_t WDT_FEED_INTERVAL_MS = 3;
 
-  /// Feed the task watchdog. Hot-path inline rate-limit check: callers that
-  /// already have a timestamp in hand pay only a load + sub + branch on the
-  /// common (no-op) path. The actual arch feed + status LED update live in
-  /// feed_wdt_slow_ to keep this small enough to inline freely.
-  ///
-  /// Pass time==0 to request millis() be read for you (low-frequency callers
-  /// only — always takes the slow path).
-  void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE feed_wdt(uint32_t time = 0) {
-    if (time == 0 || static_cast<uint32_t>(time - this->last_wdt_feed_) > WDT_FEED_INTERVAL_MS) {
+  /// Feed the task watchdog. Cold entry — callers without a millis()
+  /// timestamp in hand. Out of line to keep call sites tiny.
+  void feed_wdt();
+
+  /// Feed the task watchdog, hot entry. Callers that already have a
+  /// millis() timestamp pay only a load + sub + branch on the common
+  /// (no-op) path. The actual arch feed + status LED update live in
+  /// feed_wdt_slow_.
+  void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE feed_wdt_with_time(uint32_t time) {
+    if (static_cast<uint32_t>(time - this->last_wdt_feed_) > WDT_FEED_INTERVAL_MS) [[unlikely]] {
       this->feed_wdt_slow_(time);
     }
   }
@@ -882,7 +883,7 @@ inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE Application::loop() {
     }
     new_app_state |= component->get_component_state();
     this->app_state_ |= new_app_state;
-    this->feed_wdt(last_op_end_time);
+    this->feed_wdt_with_time(last_op_end_time);
   }
 
   this->after_loop_tasks_();
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index 7c9263583dd..3e75a680643 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ uint32_t HOT Scheduler::execute_item_(SchedulerItem *item, uint32_t now) {
   // queue paths go through here). A run of back-to-back callbacks cannot
   // starve the wdt. The inline fast path is a load + sub + branch — nearly
   // free when the 3 ms rate limit hasn't elapsed.
-  App.feed_wdt(end);
+  App.feed_wdt_with_time(end);
   return end;
 }