diff --git a/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.cpp b/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.cpp
index e89c96ca48..f888edb1df 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.cpp
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ namespace esphome::template_ {
 
 static const char *const TAG = "template.water_heater";
 
-TemplateWaterHeater::TemplateWaterHeater() : set_trigger_(new Trigger<>()) {}
+TemplateWaterHeater::TemplateWaterHeater() = default;
 
 void TemplateWaterHeater::setup() {
   if (this->restore_mode_ == TemplateWaterHeaterRestoreMode::WATER_HEATER_RESTORE ||
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void TemplateWaterHeater::control(const water_heater::WaterHeaterCall &call) {
     }
   }
 
-  this->set_trigger_->trigger();
+  this->set_trigger_.trigger();
 
   if (this->optimistic_) {
     this->publish_state();
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.h b/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.h
index c2a2dcbb23..f1cf00a115 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.h
+++ b/esphome/components/template/water_heater/template_water_heater.h
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class TemplateWaterHeater : public Component, public water_heater::WaterHeater {
     this->supported_modes_ = modes;
   }
 
-  Trigger<> *get_set_trigger() const { return this->set_trigger_; }
+  Trigger<> *get_set_trigger() { return &this->set_trigger_; }
 
   void setup() override;
   void loop() override;
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class TemplateWaterHeater : public Component, public water_heater::WaterHeater {
   water_heater::WaterHeaterTraits traits() override;
 
   // Ordered to minimize padding on 32-bit: 4-byte members first, then smaller
-  Trigger<> *set_trigger_;
+  Trigger<> set_trigger_;
   TemplateLambda<float> current_temperature_f_;
   TemplateLambda<water_heater::WaterHeaterMode> mode_f_;
   TemplateWaterHeaterRestoreMode restore_mode_{WATER_HEATER_NO_RESTORE};