diff --git a/esphome/components/hlw8012/sensor.py b/esphome/components/hlw8012/sensor.py
index 201ea4451f..4727877633 100644
--- a/esphome/components/hlw8012/sensor.py
+++ b/esphome/components/hlw8012/sensor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from esphome import pins
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.components import sensor
+from esphome.components.esp32 import include_builtin_idf_component
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import (
     CONF_CHANGE_MODE_EVERY,
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
     UNIT_WATT,
     UNIT_WATT_HOURS,
 )
+from esphome.core import CORE
 
 AUTO_LOAD = ["pulse_counter"]
 
@@ -91,6 +93,12 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.Schema(
 
 
 async def to_code(config):
+    if CORE.is_esp32:
+        # Re-enable ESP-IDF's legacy driver component (excluded by default to save compile time)
+        # HLW8012 uses pulse_counter's PCNT storage which requires driver/pcnt.h
+        # TODO: Remove this once pulse_counter migrates to new PCNT API (driver/pulse_cnt.h)
+        include_builtin_idf_component("driver")
+
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
index 5ba59cca2a..f906e9e5cb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/pulse_counter_sensor.h
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 
 #include <cinttypes>
 
+// TODO: Migrate from legacy PCNT API (driver/pcnt.h) to new PCNT API (driver/pulse_cnt.h)
+// The legacy PCNT API is deprecated in ESP-IDF 5.x. Migration would allow removing the
+// "driver" IDF component dependency. See:
+// https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32/migration-guides/release-5.x/5.0/peripherals.html#id6
 #if defined(USE_ESP32) && !defined(USE_ESP32_VARIANT_ESP32C3)
 #include <driver/pcnt.h>
 #define HAS_PCNT
diff --git a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
index dbf67fd2ad..65be5ee793 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
+++ b/esphome/components/pulse_counter/sensor.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from esphome import automation, pins
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.components import sensor
+from esphome.components.esp32 import include_builtin_idf_component
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import (
     CONF_COUNT_MODE,
@@ -126,7 +127,14 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
 
 
 async def to_code(config):
-    var = await sensor.new_sensor(config, config.get(CONF_USE_PCNT))
+    use_pcnt = config.get(CONF_USE_PCNT)
+    if CORE.is_esp32 and use_pcnt:
+        # Re-enable ESP-IDF's legacy driver component (excluded by default to save compile time)
+        # Provides driver/pcnt.h header for hardware pulse counter API
+        # TODO: Remove this once pulse_counter migrates to new PCNT API (driver/pulse_cnt.h)
+        include_builtin_idf_component("driver")
+
+    var = await sensor.new_sensor(config, use_pcnt)
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
 
     pin = await cg.gpio_pin_expression(config[CONF_PIN])