diff --git a/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_esp32.cpp b/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_esp32.cpp
index 3123f3b604..3e997402bc 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_esp32.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/mdns/mdns_esp32.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ namespace esphome::mdns {
 static const char *const TAG = "mdns";
 
 static void register_esp32(MDNSComponent *comp, StaticVector<MDNSService, MDNS_SERVICE_COUNT> &services) {
+#ifdef USE_OPENTHREAD
+  // OpenThread handles service registration via SRP client
+  // Services are compiled by MDNSComponent::compile_records_() and consumed by OpenThreadSrpComponent
+#else
   esp_err_t err = mdns_init();
   if (err != ESP_OK) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Init failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
@@ -41,13 +45,16 @@ static void register_esp32(MDNSComponent *comp, StaticVector<MDNSService, MDNS_S
       ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Failed to register service %s: %s", MDNS_STR_ARG(service.service_type), esp_err_to_name(err));
     }
   }
+#endif
 }
 
 void MDNSComponent::setup() { this->setup_buffers_and_register_(register_esp32); }
 
 void MDNSComponent::on_shutdown() {
+#ifndef USE_OPENTHREAD
   mdns_free();
   delay(40);  // Allow the mdns packets announcing service removal to be sent
+#endif
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::mdns