diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api.proto b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
index 43b721c2d5..5efd839673 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api.proto
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
@@ -2425,7 +2425,7 @@ message ZWaveProxyFrame {
   option (ifdef) = "USE_ZWAVE_PROXY";
   option (no_delay) = true;
 
-  bytes data = 1 [(pointer_to_buffer) = true];
+  bytes data = 1;
 }
 
 enum ZWaveProxyRequestType {
@@ -2439,5 +2439,5 @@ message ZWaveProxyRequest {
   option (ifdef) = "USE_ZWAVE_PROXY";
 
   ZWaveProxyRequestType type = 1;
-  bytes data = 2 [(pointer_to_buffer) = true];
+  bytes data = 2;
 }
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2.h b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2.h
index 6275b4c211..e08cf65bb9 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2.h
@@ -1046,7 +1046,7 @@ class SubscribeLogsRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
 class SubscribeLogsResponse final : public ProtoMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 29;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 11;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 21;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "subscribe_logs_response"; }
 #endif
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ class SubscribeLogsResponse final : public ProtoMessage {
 class NoiseEncryptionSetKeyRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 124;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 9;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 19;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "noise_encryption_set_key_request"; }
 #endif
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ class HomeassistantActionRequest final : public ProtoMessage {
 class HomeassistantActionResponse final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 130;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 24;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 34;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "homeassistant_action_response"; }
 #endif
@@ -1388,7 +1388,7 @@ class ListEntitiesCameraResponse final : public InfoResponseProtoMessage {
 class CameraImageResponse final : public StateResponseProtoMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 44;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 20;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 30;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "camera_image_response"; }
 #endif
@@ -2123,7 +2123,7 @@ class BluetoothGATTReadRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
 class BluetoothGATTReadResponse final : public ProtoMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 74;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 17;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 27;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "bluetooth_gatt_read_response"; }
 #endif
@@ -2146,7 +2146,7 @@ class BluetoothGATTReadResponse final : public ProtoMessage {
 class BluetoothGATTWriteRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 75;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 19;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 29;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "bluetooth_gatt_write_request"; }
 #endif
@@ -2182,7 +2182,7 @@ class BluetoothGATTReadDescriptorRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
 class BluetoothGATTWriteDescriptorRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 77;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 17;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 27;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "bluetooth_gatt_write_descriptor_request"; }
 #endif
@@ -2218,7 +2218,7 @@ class BluetoothGATTNotifyRequest final : public ProtoDecodableMessage {
 class BluetoothGATTNotifyDataResponse final : public ProtoMessage {
  public:
   static constexpr uint8_t MESSAGE_TYPE = 79;
-  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 17;
+  static constexpr uint8_t ESTIMATED_SIZE = 27;
 #ifdef HAS_PROTO_MESSAGE_DUMP
   const char *message_name() const override { return "bluetooth_gatt_notify_data_response"; }
 #endif
diff --git a/script/api_protobuf/api_protobuf.py b/script/api_protobuf/api_protobuf.py
index 5b68c6a3d2..7293f2abbc 100755
--- a/script/api_protobuf/api_protobuf.py
+++ b/script/api_protobuf/api_protobuf.py
@@ -362,12 +362,12 @@ def create_field_type_info(
             # Traditional fixed array approach with copy (takes priority)
             return FixedArrayBytesType(field, fixed_size)
 
-        # For SOURCE_CLIENT only messages (decode but no encode), use pointer
+        # For messages that decode (SOURCE_CLIENT or SOURCE_BOTH), use pointer
         # for zero-copy access to the receive buffer
-        if needs_decode and not needs_encode:
+        if needs_decode:
             return PointerToBytesBufferType(field, None)
 
-        # For SOURCE_BOTH/SOURCE_SERVER, explicit annotation is still needed
+        # For SOURCE_SERVER (encode only), explicit annotation is still needed
         if get_field_opt(field, pb.pointer_to_buffer, False):
             return PointerToBytesBufferType(field, None)