diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/automation.h b/esphome/components/wifi/automation.h
index 7997baff65..fb0e71bcf6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/automation.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/automation.h
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WiFiConfigureAction : public Action<Ts...>, publi
     if (this->connecting_)
       return;
     // If already connected to the same AP, do nothing
-    if (global_wifi_component->wifi_ssid() == ssid) {
+    char ssid_buf[SSID_BUFFER_SIZE];
+    if (strcmp(global_wifi_component->wifi_ssid_to(ssid_buf), ssid.c_str()) == 0) {
       // Callback to notify the user that the connection was successful
       this->connect_trigger_->trigger();
       return;
@@ -94,7 +95,8 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WiFiConfigureAction : public Action<Ts...>, publi
       this->cancel_timeout("wifi-connect-timeout");
       this->cancel_timeout("wifi-fallback-timeout");
       this->connecting_ = false;
-      if (global_wifi_component->wifi_ssid() == this->new_sta_.get_ssid()) {
+      char ssid_buf[SSID_BUFFER_SIZE];
+      if (strcmp(global_wifi_component->wifi_ssid_to(ssid_buf), this->new_sta_.get_ssid().c_str()) == 0) {
         // Callback to notify the user that the connection was successful
         this->connect_trigger_->trigger();
       } else {
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index d2b15ee982..7910845930 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -1167,7 +1167,8 @@ void WiFiComponent::check_connecting_finished() {
   auto status = this->wifi_sta_connect_status_();
 
   if (status == WiFiSTAConnectStatus::CONNECTED) {
-    if (wifi_ssid().empty()) {
+    char ssid_buf[SSID_BUFFER_SIZE];
+    if (wifi_ssid_to(ssid_buf)[0] == '\0') {
       ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Connection incomplete");
       this->retry_connect();
       return;