diff --git a/esphome/components/lvgl/__init__.py b/esphome/components/lvgl/__init__.py
index 9137412abe5..08369927b92 100644
--- a/esphome/components/lvgl/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/lvgl/__init__.py
@@ -414,6 +414,8 @@ async def to_code(configs):
         await cg.register_component(lv_component, config)
         if rotation := config.get(CONF_ROTATION):
             cg.add(lv_component.set_rotation(rotation))
+        if refr_time := config.get(df.CONF_REFRESH_INTERVAL):
+            cg.add(lv_component.set_refresh_interval(refr_time.total_milliseconds))
         Widget.create(config[CONF_ID], lv_component, LvScrActType(), config)
 
         lv_scr_act = get_screen_active(lv_component)
@@ -598,6 +600,7 @@ LVGL_TOP_LEVEL_SCHEMA = (
             cv.Optional(df.CONF_DEFAULT_FONT, default="montserrat_14"): lvalid.lv_font,
             cv.Optional(df.CONF_FULL_REFRESH, default=False): cv.boolean,
             cv.Optional(df.CONF_UPDATE_WHEN_DISPLAY_IDLE, default=False): cv.boolean,
+            cv.Optional(df.CONF_REFRESH_INTERVAL): cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
             cv.Optional(CONF_DRAW_ROUNDING, default=2): cv.positive_int,
             cv.Optional(CONF_BUFFER_SIZE, default=0): cv.percentage,
             cv.Optional(CONF_ROTATION): validate_rotation,
diff --git a/esphome/components/lvgl/defines.py b/esphome/components/lvgl/defines.py
index d9be881a7fc..53499503d4f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/lvgl/defines.py
+++ b/esphome/components/lvgl/defines.py
@@ -764,6 +764,7 @@ CONF_PLACEHOLDER_TEXT = "placeholder_text"
 CONF_POINTS = "points"
 CONF_PREVIOUS = "previous"
 CONF_RADIUS = "radius"
+CONF_REFRESH_INTERVAL = "refresh_interval"
 CONF_REPEAT_COUNT = "repeat_count"
 CONF_RECOLOR = "recolor"
 CONF_RESUME_ON_INPUT = "resume_on_input"
diff --git a/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.cpp b/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.cpp
index 15c2d238be1..1db5992389d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.cpp
@@ -401,7 +401,10 @@ void LvglComponent::draw_buffer_(const lv_area_t *area, lv_color_data *ptr) {
 }
 
 void LvglComponent::flush_cb_(lv_display_t *disp_drv, const lv_area_t *area, uint8_t *color_p) {
-  if (!this->is_paused()) {
+  // no guard here for display busy, since LVGL will not call flush_cb until the refresh timer fires,
+  // and while the display is busy this is reset to 5 minutes. If that expires and the display is still
+  // busy there are bigger problems.
+  if (!this->paused_) {
     auto now = millis();
     this->draw_buffer_(area, reinterpret_cast<lv_color_data *>(color_p));
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "flush_cb, area=%d/%d, %d/%d took %dms", (int) area->x1, (int) area->y1,
@@ -620,20 +623,20 @@ void LvKeyboardType::set_obj(lv_obj_t *lv_obj) {
 void LvglComponent::draw_end_() {
   if (this->draw_end_callback_ != nullptr)
     this->draw_end_callback_->trigger();
+  // Only reachable once the display is idle again: while busy, the display's refr_timer_ is
+  // paused (see loop()), so LVGL never renders/flushes and this event never fires.
   if (this->update_when_display_idle_) {
     for (auto *disp : this->displays_)
       disp->update();
   }
 }
 
-bool LvglComponent::is_paused() const {
-  if (this->paused_)
-    return true;
-  if (this->update_when_display_idle_) {
-    for (auto *disp : this->displays_) {
-      if (!disp->is_idle())
-        return true;
-    }
+bool LvglComponent::displays_busy_() const {
+  if (!this->update_when_display_idle_)
+    return false;
+  for (auto *disp : this->displays_) {
+    if (!disp->is_idle())
+      return true;
   }
   return false;
 }
@@ -777,6 +780,8 @@ void LvglComponent::setup() {
   if (this->draw_end_callback_ != nullptr || this->update_when_display_idle_) {
     lv_display_add_event_cb(this->disp_, render_end_cb, LV_EVENT_REFR_READY, this);
   }
+  this->refr_timer_ = lv_display_get_refr_timer(this->disp_);
+  lv_timer_set_period(this->refr_timer_, this->refr_timer_period_);
 #if LV_USE_LOG
   lv_log_register_print_cb([](lv_log_level_t level, const char *buf) {
     auto next = strchr(buf, ')');
@@ -802,21 +807,32 @@ void LvglComponent::update() {
 }
 
 void LvglComponent::loop() {
-  if (this->is_paused()) {
-    if (this->paused_ && this->show_snow_)
+  if (this->paused_) {
+    if (this->show_snow_)
       this->write_random_();
-  } else {
-#if ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL >= ESPHOME_LOG_LEVEL_VERBOSE
-    auto now = millis();
-    lv_timer_handler();
-    auto elapsed = millis() - now;
-    if (elapsed > 15) {
-      ESP_LOGV(TAG, "lv_timer_handler took %dms", (int) (millis() - now));
-    }
-#else
-    lv_timer_handler();
-#endif
+    return;
   }
+  // Pause/resume the display's own refresh timer to track its busy state. While paused, LVGL
+  // still keeps track of invalidated areas but won't render or flush them, so nothing needs to
+  // be discarded or replayed: once resumed, the accumulated areas are simply drawn as normal.
+  // Input events and other timers keep being processed below regardless of this state.
+  if (this->update_when_display_idle_) {
+    bool busy = this->displays_busy_();
+    if (busy && !this->refr_timer_paused_) {
+      this->refr_timer_paused_ = true;
+      // calling lv_timer_pause() here would be ineffective; LVGL pauses and resumes the timer based on its own internal
+      // state, which is not aware of the display's busy state. Instead, we extend the timer period to avoid it firing
+      // while the display is busy.
+      lv_timer_set_period(this->refr_timer_, 5 * 60 * 1000);
+    } else if (!busy && this->refr_timer_paused_) {
+      this->refr_timer_paused_ = false;
+      lv_timer_set_period(this->refr_timer_, this->refr_timer_period_);
+      // Don't wait for the timer's next natural period: refresh right away now that the
+      // display is idle again.
+      lv_timer_ready(this->refr_timer_);
+    }
+  }
+  lv_timer_handler();
 }
 
 #ifdef USE_LVGL_ANIMIMG
diff --git a/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.h b/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.h
index 8840b0ad30f..dcbf490bce9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.h
+++ b/esphome/components/lvgl/lvgl_esphome.h
@@ -214,9 +214,14 @@ class LvglComponent final : public PollingComponent {
   // @param paused If true, pause the display. If false, resume the display.
   // @param show_snow If true, show the snow effect when paused.
   void set_paused(bool paused, bool show_snow);
+  void set_refresh_interval(uint32_t period) {
+    this->refr_timer_period_ = period;
+    if (this->refr_timer_ != nullptr)
+      lv_timer_set_period(this->refr_timer_, period);
+  }
 
-  // Returns true if the display is explicitly paused, or a blocking display update is in progress.
-  bool is_paused() const;
+  // Returns true if the display has been explicitly paused via set_paused().
+  bool is_paused() const { return this->paused_; }
   // If the display is paused and we have resume_on_input_ set to true, resume the display.
   void maybe_wakeup() {
     if (this->paused_ && this->resume_on_input_) {
@@ -299,6 +304,9 @@ class LvglComponent final : public PollingComponent {
   // Not checking for non-null callback since the
   // LVGL callback that calls it is not set in that case
   void draw_start_() const { this->draw_start_callback_->trigger(); }
+  // Returns true if update_when_display_idle is enabled and at least one underlying display
+  // component is currently busy (e.g. mid-refresh).
+  bool displays_busy_() const;
 
   void write_random_();
   void draw_buffer_(const lv_area_t *area, lv_color_data *ptr);
@@ -316,6 +324,14 @@ class LvglComponent final : public PollingComponent {
 
   uint8_t *draw_buf_{};
   lv_display_t *disp_{};
+  // The display's own periodic refresh timer, effectively paused while the display is busy (see
+  // displays_busy_()) so LVGL neither renders nor flushes to it, without losing track of
+  // invalidated areas. Other timers (indev reading, animations, ...) keep running as normal.
+  lv_timer_t *refr_timer_{};
+  // Tracks whether refr_timer_ is currently paused, so loop() can detect the busy -> idle edge
+  // and kick off an immediate refresh instead of waiting for the timer's next natural period.
+  bool refr_timer_paused_{};
+  uint32_t refr_timer_period_{16};
   uint16_t width_{};
   uint16_t height_{};
   bool paused_{};
diff --git a/tests/components/lvgl/lvgl-package.yaml b/tests/components/lvgl/lvgl-package.yaml
index 7af058e6b87..4f043db7cb1 100644
--- a/tests/components/lvgl/lvgl-package.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/lvgl/lvgl-package.yaml
@@ -24,20 +24,6 @@ binary_sensor:
     name: Button A checked
     widget: button_a
     state: checked
-  - platform: lvgl
-    id: button_checker
-    name: LVGL button
-    widget: button_button
-    state: checked
-    on_state:
-      then:
-        - lvgl.checkbox.update:
-            id: checkbox_id
-            state:
-              checked: !lambda |-
-                  auto y = x; // block inlining of one line return
-                  return y;
-
   - platform: lvgl
     id: button_presser
     name: Button pressed
@@ -49,6 +35,8 @@ lvgl:
   rotation: 90
   log_level: debug
   resume_on_input: true
+  update_when_display_idle: true
+  refresh_interval: 30ms
   on_pause:
     - logger.log: LVGL is Paused
     - lvgl.display.set_rotation: 90
diff --git a/tests/components/lvgl/test.esp32-idf.yaml b/tests/components/lvgl/test.esp32-idf.yaml
index 79ea06f16af..d938017fd9c 100644
--- a/tests/components/lvgl/test.esp32-idf.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/lvgl/test.esp32-idf.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 packages:
-  lvgl: !include lvgl-package.yaml
+  lvgl_package: !include lvgl-package.yaml
   spi: !include ../../test_build_components/common/spi/esp32-idf.yaml
   i2c: !include ../../test_build_components/common/i2c/esp32-idf.yaml
+  lvgl: !include common.yaml
 
 sensor:
   - platform: rotary_encoder
@@ -77,5 +78,3 @@ lvgl:
     - component.update: tft_display
     - delay: 60s
     - lvgl.resume:
-
-<<: !include common.yaml