diff --git a/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.cpp b/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.cpp
index b46ec39d30..17d9b054da 100644
--- a/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "esphome/core/defines.h"
 #include "esphome/core/controller_registry.h"
 #include "esphome/core/log.h"
+#include "esphome/core/progmem.h"
 
 namespace esphome {
 namespace media_player {
@@ -107,25 +108,25 @@ MediaPlayerCall &MediaPlayerCall::set_command(optional<MediaPlayerCommand> comma
   this->command_ = command;
   return *this;
 }
-MediaPlayerCall &MediaPlayerCall::set_command(const std::string &command) {
-  if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "PLAY")) {
+MediaPlayerCall &MediaPlayerCall::set_command(const char *command) {
+  if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("PLAY")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_PLAY);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "PAUSE")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("PAUSE")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_PAUSE);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "STOP")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("STOP")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_STOP);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "MUTE")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("MUTE")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_MUTE);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "UNMUTE")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("UNMUTE")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_UNMUTE);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "TOGGLE")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("TOGGLE")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_TOGGLE);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "TURN_ON")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("TURN_ON")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_TURN_ON);
-  } else if (str_equals_case_insensitive(command, "TURN_OFF")) {
+  } else if (ESPHOME_strcasecmp_P(command, ESPHOME_PSTR("TURN_OFF")) == 0) {
     this->set_command(MEDIA_PLAYER_COMMAND_TURN_OFF);
   } else {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "'%s' - Unrecognized command %s", this->parent_->get_name().c_str(), command.c_str());
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "'%s' - Unrecognized command %s", this->parent_->get_name().c_str(), command);
   }
   return *this;
 }
diff --git a/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.h b/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.h
index b753e2d088..f75a68dd85 100644
--- a/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.h
+++ b/esphome/components/media_player/media_player.h
@@ -114,7 +114,8 @@ class MediaPlayerCall {
 
   MediaPlayerCall &set_command(MediaPlayerCommand command);
   MediaPlayerCall &set_command(optional<MediaPlayerCommand> command);
-  MediaPlayerCall &set_command(const std::string &command);
+  MediaPlayerCall &set_command(const char *command);
+  MediaPlayerCall &set_command(const std::string &command) { return this->set_command(command.c_str()); }
 
   MediaPlayerCall &set_media_url(const std::string &url);