diff --git a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
index 43677ebfdce..84589d540d3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import base64
 import logging
-import pathlib
 
 from esphome import automation
 from esphome.automation import Condition
@@ -459,10 +458,6 @@ async def to_code(config: ConfigType) -> None:
         # Enable optimized memzero/memcmp in libsodium instead of volatile byte loops
         cg.add_build_flag("-DHAVE_WEAK_SYMBOLS=1")
         cg.add_build_flag("-DHAVE_INLINE_ASM=1")
-        # Compile crypto libraries with -O2 for speed instead of -Os.
-        # Crypto is CPU-bound and benefits significantly from speed optimization.
-        # GCC uses the last -O flag, so appending -O2 overrides the global -Os.
-        _write_crypto_optimize_script()
     else:
         cg.add_define("USE_API_PLAINTEXT")
 
@@ -470,17 +465,6 @@ async def to_code(config: ConfigType) -> None:
     cg.add_global(api_ns.using)
 
 
-_CRYPTO_OPTIMIZE_SCRIPT = "crypto_optimize.py"
-
-
-def _write_crypto_optimize_script() -> None:
-    from esphome.helpers import copy_file_if_changed
-
-    script_src = pathlib.Path(__file__).parent / f"{_CRYPTO_OPTIMIZE_SCRIPT}.script"
-    copy_file_if_changed(script_src, CORE.relative_build_path(_CRYPTO_OPTIMIZE_SCRIPT))
-    cg.add_platformio_option("extra_scripts", [f"post:{_CRYPTO_OPTIMIZE_SCRIPT}"])
-
-
 KEY_VALUE_SCHEMA = cv.Schema({cv.string: cv.templatable(cv.string_strict)})
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/crypto_optimize.py.script b/esphome/components/api/crypto_optimize.py.script
deleted file mode 100644
index 1093a09bf6a..00000000000
--- a/esphome/components/api/crypto_optimize.py.script
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,9 +0,0 @@
-# Compile libsodium with -O2 for speed instead of the default -Os.
-# libsodium provides the crypto primitives (Curve25519, ChaCha20, Poly1305)
-# used by the Noise protocol and benefits significantly from speed optimization.
-# GCC uses the last -O flag, so appending -O2 overrides the global -Os.
-Import("env")
-
-for lb in env.GetLibBuilders():
-    if lb.name == "libsodium":
-        lb.env.Append(CCFLAGS=["-O2"])
diff --git a/script/cpp_benchmark.py b/script/cpp_benchmark.py
index 5080a9fec74..92faa05819a 100755
--- a/script/cpp_benchmark.py
+++ b/script/cpp_benchmark.py
@@ -26,11 +26,12 @@ CORE_BENCHMARKS_DIR: Path = Path(root_path) / "tests" / "benchmarks" / "core"
 STUBS_DIR: Path = Path(root_path) / "tests" / "benchmarks" / "stubs"
 
 PLATFORMIO_OPTIONS = {
+    "build_unflags": [
+        "-Os",  # remove default size-opt
+    ],
     "build_flags": [
-        "-Os",  # match firmware optimization level (detects inlining regressions)
+        "-O2",  # optimize for speed (CodSpeed recommends RelWithDebInfo)
         "-g",  # debug symbols for profiling
-        "-ffunction-sections",  # required for dead-code stripping with -Os
-        "-fdata-sections",  # required for dead-code stripping with -Os
         "-DUSE_BENCHMARK",  # disable WarnIfComponentBlockingGuard in finish()
         f"-I{STUBS_DIR}",  # stub headers for ESP32-only components
     ],