diff --git a/esphome/core/application.h b/esphome/core/application.h
index 813f1ca8ed..aad25c7530 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.h
+++ b/esphome/core/application.h
@@ -748,18 +748,6 @@ inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE Application::loop() {
 // Inline yield_with_select_ for all paths except the select() fallback
 #ifndef USE_HOST
 inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE Application::yield_with_select_(uint32_t delay_ms) {
-#ifdef USE_LWIP_FAST_SELECT
-  // Fast path (ESP32/LibreTiny): FreeRTOS task notifications posted by the lwip
-  // event_callback wrapper (see lwip_fast_select.c) are the single source of truth for
-  // socket wake-ups. Every NETCONN_EVT_RCVPLUS posts an xTaskNotifyGive, so any notification
-  // that lands between wakes keeps the counter non-zero (next ulTaskNotifyTake returns
-  // immediately) or wakes a blocked Take directly. Additional wake sources:
-  // wake_loop_threadsafe() from background tasks, and the delay_ms timeout.
-  if (delay_ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
-    yield();
-    return;
-  }
-#endif
   esphome::internal::wakeable_delay(delay_ms);
 }
 #endif  // !USE_HOST
diff --git a/esphome/core/wake.cpp b/esphome/core/wake.cpp
index cebc4d04b7..00b08b7b91 100644
--- a/esphome/core/wake.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/wake.cpp
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static int64_t alarm_callback_(alarm_id_t id, void *user_data) {
 
 namespace internal {
 void wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
-  if (ms == 0) {
+  if (ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
     yield();
     return;
   }
diff --git a/esphome/core/wake.h b/esphome/core/wake.h
index 41b7ab33b5..15b882b306 100644
--- a/esphome/core/wake.h
+++ b/esphome/core/wake.h
@@ -96,8 +96,14 @@ inline void wake_loop_threadsafe() {
 }
 
 namespace internal {
-inline void wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
-  if (ms == 0) {
+inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
+  // Fast path (with USE_LWIP_FAST_SELECT): FreeRTOS task notifications posted by the lwip
+  // event_callback wrapper (see lwip_fast_select.c) are the single source of truth for
+  // socket wake-ups. Every NETCONN_EVT_RCVPLUS posts an xTaskNotifyGive, so any notification
+  // that lands between wakes keeps the counter non-zero (next ulTaskNotifyTake returns
+  // immediately) or wakes a blocked Take directly. Additional wake sources:
+  // wake_loop_threadsafe() from background tasks, and the ms timeout.
+  if (ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
     yield();
     return;
   }
@@ -127,8 +133,8 @@ inline void wake_loop_threadsafe() { wake_loop_impl(); }
 inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE wake_loop_isrsafe() { wake_loop_impl(); }
 
 namespace internal {
-inline void wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
-  if (ms == 0) {
+inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
+  if (ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
     delay(0);
     return;
   }
@@ -174,8 +180,8 @@ inline void wake_loop_threadsafe() {}
 inline void wake_loop_any_context() { wake_loop_threadsafe(); }
 
 namespace internal {
-inline void wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
-  if (ms == 0) {
+inline void ESPHOME_ALWAYS_INLINE wakeable_delay(uint32_t ms) {
+  if (ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
     yield();
     return;
   }