diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
index 893e4692bb..c400172889 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
@@ -75,8 +75,7 @@ void CaptivePortal::setup() {
 void CaptivePortal::start() {
   this->base_->init();
   if (!this->initialized_) {
-    // Use fallback position so web_server handlers are checked first
-    this->base_->add_handler(this, web_server_base::HandlerPosition::FALLBACK);
+    this->base_->add_handler(this);
   }
 
   network::IPAddress ip = wifi::global_wifi_component->wifi_soft_ap_ip();
diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.h b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.h
index e952b2600d..909a860689 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.h
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.h
@@ -49,14 +49,9 @@ class CaptivePortal : public AsyncWebHandler, public Component {
     // Handle all GET requests when captive portal is active.
     // This allows us to respond with the portal page for any URL,
     // triggering OS captive portal detection.
-    if (!this->active_ || request->method() != HTTP_GET)
-      return false;
-#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER
-    // Let web_server handle root URL when ?web_server param is present
-    if (request->url() == "/" && request->hasParam("web_server"))
-      return false;
-#endif
-    return true;
+    // Note: web_server registers its handlers first, so it will handle
+    // /?web_server before captive_portal sees the request.
+    return this->active_ && request->method() == HTTP_GET;
   }
 
   void handle_config(AsyncWebServerRequest *request);
diff --git a/esphome/components/espnow/espnow_component.cpp b/esphome/components/espnow/espnow_component.cpp
index 991803d870..7a4f3a7f44 100644
--- a/esphome/components/espnow/espnow_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/espnow/espnow_component.cpp
@@ -149,12 +149,6 @@ bool ESPNowComponent::is_wifi_enabled() {
 }
 
 void ESPNowComponent::setup() {
-#ifndef USE_WIFI
-  // Initialize LwIP stack for wake_loop_threadsafe() socket support
-  // When WiFi component is present, it handles esp_netif_init()
-  ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_netif_init());
-#endif
-
   if (this->enable_on_boot_) {
     this->enable_();
   } else {
@@ -174,8 +168,6 @@ void ESPNowComponent::enable() {
 
 void ESPNowComponent::enable_() {
   if (!this->is_wifi_enabled()) {
-    esp_event_loop_create_default();
-
     wifi_init_config_t cfg = WIFI_INIT_CONFIG_DEFAULT();
 
     ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_wifi_init(&cfg));
diff --git a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
index 896c5cc874..2e694d8fe6 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/ethernet/ethernet_component.cpp
@@ -102,11 +102,6 @@ void EthernetComponent::setup() {
   ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "SPI bus initialize error");
 #endif
 
-  err = esp_netif_init();
-  ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "ETH netif init error");
-  err = esp_event_loop_create_default();
-  ESPHL_ERROR_CHECK(err, "ETH event loop error");
-
   esp_netif_config_t cfg = ESP_NETIF_DEFAULT_ETH();
   this->eth_netif_ = esp_netif_new(&cfg);
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/network/network_component.cpp b/esphome/components/network/network_component.cpp
index 18b05b0146..8a7ad138ef 100644
--- a/esphome/components/network/network_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/network/network_component.cpp
@@ -1,19 +1,14 @@
 #include "network_component.h"
-#ifdef USE_NETWORK
-#include "esphome/core/log.h"
-
 #ifdef USE_ESP32
+#include "esphome/core/log.h"
 #include "esp_event.h"
 #include "esp_netif.h"
-#endif
 
-namespace esphome {
-namespace network {
+namespace esphome::network {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "network";
 
 void NetworkComponent::setup() {
-#ifdef USE_ESP32
   // Initialize network stack early - required before web_server can bind.
   // This must run before WiFi/Ethernet setup so web_server can register
   // its handlers before captive_portal.
@@ -26,7 +21,6 @@ void NetworkComponent::setup() {
     // ESP_ERR_INVALID_STATE means it was already created
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "esp_event_loop_create_default failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
   }
-#endif
 }
 
 float NetworkComponent::get_setup_priority() const {
@@ -34,6 +28,5 @@ float NetworkComponent::get_setup_priority() const {
   return setup_priority::WIFI + 2.0f;
 }
 
-}  // namespace network
-}  // namespace esphome
+}  // namespace esphome::network
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/network/network_component.h b/esphome/components/network/network_component.h
index db9257ca7e..cbcf4493db 100644
--- a/esphome/components/network/network_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/network/network_component.h
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 #pragma once
 #include "esphome/core/defines.h"
-#ifdef USE_NETWORK
+#ifdef USE_ESP32
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
 
-namespace esphome {
-namespace network {
+namespace esphome::network {
 
 /// Component that initializes the network stack early.
 /// This allows web_server to bind before WiFi/Ethernet setup.
@@ -14,6 +13,5 @@ class NetworkComponent : public Component {
   float get_setup_priority() const override;
 };
 
-}  // namespace network
-}  // namespace esphome
+}  // namespace esphome::network
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread_esp.cpp b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread_esp.cpp
index a9aff3cce4..da9a7c8ad8 100644
--- a/esphome/components/openthread/openthread_esp.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/openthread/openthread_esp.cpp
@@ -35,8 +35,6 @@ void OpenThreadComponent::setup() {
       .max_fds = 3,
   };
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(nvs_flash_init());
-  ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_event_loop_create_default());
-  ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_netif_init());
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_vfs_eventfd_register(&eventfd_config));
 
   xTaskCreate(
diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
index 89306e90b0..6ee169159a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,10 @@
 #include "esphome/components/logger/logger.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef USE_CAPTIVE_PORTAL
+#include "esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.h"
+#endif
+
 #ifdef USE_CLIMATE
 #include "esphome/components/climate/climate.h"
 #endif
@@ -1966,6 +1970,7 @@ bool WebServer::canHandle(AsyncWebServerRequest *request) const {
   if (url == ESPHOME_F("/")) {
 #ifdef USE_CAPTIVE_PORTAL
     // When captive portal is active, only handle "/" if ?web_server param is present
+    // This lets captive_portal show its page at "/" while web_server handles /?web_server
     if (captive_portal::global_captive_portal != nullptr && captive_portal::global_captive_portal->is_active()) {
       return request->hasParam(ESPHOME_F("web_server"));
     }
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index afdaa0b6e8..417ebac62c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -414,9 +414,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::setup() {
   if (this->enable_on_boot_) {
     this->start();
   } else {
-#ifdef USE_ESP32
-    esp_netif_init();
-#endif
     this->state_ = WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED;
   }
 }
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index 820725ed31..91876b4817 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -137,11 +137,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_pre_setup_() {
     get_mac_address_raw(mac);
     set_mac_address(mac);
   }
-  esp_err_t err = esp_netif_init();
-  if (err != ERR_OK) {
-    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "esp_netif_init failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
-    return;
-  }
   s_wifi_event_group = xEventGroupCreate();
   if (s_wifi_event_group == nullptr) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "xEventGroupCreate failed");
@@ -153,11 +148,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_pre_setup_() {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "xQueueCreate failed");
     return;
   }
-  err = esp_event_loop_create_default();
-  if (err != ERR_OK) {
-    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "esp_event_loop_create_default failed: %s", esp_err_to_name(err));
-    return;
-  }
+  esp_err_t err;
   esp_event_handler_instance_t instance_wifi_id, instance_ip_id;
   err = esp_event_handler_instance_register(WIFI_EVENT, ESP_EVENT_ANY_ID, &event_handler, nullptr, &instance_wifi_id);
   if (err != ERR_OK) {