diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
index 2d3959b031..200ca567c2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.cpp
@@ -58,8 +58,8 @@ extern "C" void resetPins() {  // NOLINT
 
 #ifdef USE_ESP8266_EARLY_PIN_INIT
   for (int i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
-    uint8_t mode = ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[i];
-    uint8_t level = ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[i];
+    uint8_t mode = progmem_read_byte(&ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[i]);
+    uint8_t level = progmem_read_byte(&ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[i]);
     if (mode != 255)
       pinMode(i, mode);  // NOLINT
     if (level != 255)
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.h b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.h
index ac33305669..8c9ffd40a4 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/core.h
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/core.h
@@ -4,8 +4,8 @@
 
 #include <cstdint>
 
-extern const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[16];
-extern const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[16];
+extern const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[16] PROGMEM;
+extern const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[16] PROGMEM;
 
 namespace esphome {
 namespace esp8266 {}  // namespace esp8266
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/gpio.py b/esphome/components/esp8266/gpio.py
index 2bc2291117..e7492fc505 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/gpio.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/gpio.py
@@ -199,11 +199,11 @@ async def add_pin_initial_states_array():
 
     cg.add_global(
         cg.RawExpression(
-            f"const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[16] = {{{initial_modes_s}}}"
+            f"const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_MODE[16] PROGMEM = {{{initial_modes_s}}}"
         )
     )
     cg.add_global(
         cg.RawExpression(
-            f"const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[16] = {{{initial_levels_s}}}"
+            f"const uint8_t ESPHOME_ESP8266_GPIO_INITIAL_LEVEL[16] PROGMEM = {{{initial_levels_s}}}"
         )
     )