diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
index 77beda0e82..f3bdfea2a0 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32/core.cpp
@@ -14,12 +14,6 @@
 
 #ifdef USE_ARDUINO
 #include <Esp.h>
-#include <esp32-hal.h>
-// Forward declarations for Arduino watchdog functions (implemented in esp32-hal-misc.c)
-// These are behind preprocessor guards in esp32-hal.h that static analysis tools may not see
-void enableLoopWDT();
-bool disableCore0WDT();
-bool disableCore1WDT();
 #else
 #if ESP_IDF_VERSION >= ESP_IDF_VERSION_VAL(5, 1, 0)
 #include <esp_clk_tree.h>
diff --git a/sdkconfig.defaults b/sdkconfig.defaults
index 72ca3f6e9c..322efb701a 100644
--- a/sdkconfig.defaults
+++ b/sdkconfig.defaults
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT=y
 CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT_PANIC=y
 CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT_CHECK_IDLE_TASK_CPU0=n
 CONFIG_ESP_TASK_WDT_CHECK_IDLE_TASK_CPU1=n
+CONFIG_AUTOSTART_ARDUINO=y
 
 # esp32_ble
 CONFIG_BT_ENABLED=y