diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api.proto b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
index 597da25883..d25934c60b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api.proto
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ service APIConnection {
   rpc time_command (TimeCommandRequest) returns (void) {}
   rpc update_command (UpdateCommandRequest) returns (void) {}
   rpc valve_command (ValveCommandRequest) returns (void) {}
+  rpc water_heater_command (WaterHeaterCommandRequest) returns (void) {}
 
   rpc subscribe_bluetooth_le_advertisements(SubscribeBluetoothLEAdvertisementsRequest) returns (void) {}
   rpc bluetooth_device_request(BluetoothDeviceRequest) returns (void) {}
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index 1626f395e6..839de29de7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ uint16_t APIConnection::try_send_water_heater_info(EntityBase *entity, APIConnec
                                      is_single);
 }
 
-void APIConnection::on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) {
+void APIConnection::water_heater_command(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) {
   ENTITY_COMMAND_MAKE_CALL(water_heater::WaterHeater, water_heater, water_heater)
   if (msg.has_fields & enums::WATER_HEATER_COMMAND_HAS_MODE)
     call.set_mode(static_cast<water_heater::WaterHeaterMode>(msg.mode));
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
index 21bf4c4073..b839a2a97b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class APIConnection final : public APIServerConnection {
 
 #ifdef USE_WATER_HEATER
   bool send_water_heater_state(water_heater::WaterHeater *water_heater);
-  void on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) override;
+  void water_heater_command(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) override;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef USE_IR_RF
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.cpp
index 4b7148e6c0..af0a2d0ca2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.cpp
@@ -746,6 +746,11 @@ void APIServerConnection::on_update_command_request(const UpdateCommandRequest &
 #ifdef USE_VALVE
 void APIServerConnection::on_valve_command_request(const ValveCommandRequest &msg) { this->valve_command(msg); }
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_WATER_HEATER
+void APIServerConnection::on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) {
+  this->water_heater_command(msg);
+}
+#endif
 #ifdef USE_BLUETOOTH_PROXY
 void APIServerConnection::on_subscribe_bluetooth_le_advertisements_request(
     const SubscribeBluetoothLEAdvertisementsRequest &msg) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.h b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.h
index 200991c282..80a61c1041 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_pb2_service.h
@@ -303,6 +303,9 @@ class APIServerConnection : public APIServerConnectionBase {
 #ifdef USE_VALVE
   virtual void valve_command(const ValveCommandRequest &msg) = 0;
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_WATER_HEATER
+  virtual void water_heater_command(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) = 0;
+#endif
 #ifdef USE_BLUETOOTH_PROXY
   virtual void subscribe_bluetooth_le_advertisements(const SubscribeBluetoothLEAdvertisementsRequest &msg) = 0;
 #endif
@@ -432,6 +435,9 @@ class APIServerConnection : public APIServerConnectionBase {
 #ifdef USE_VALVE
   void on_valve_command_request(const ValveCommandRequest &msg) override;
 #endif
+#ifdef USE_WATER_HEATER
+  void on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) override;
+#endif
 #ifdef USE_BLUETOOTH_PROXY
   void on_subscribe_bluetooth_le_advertisements_request(const SubscribeBluetoothLEAdvertisementsRequest &msg) override;
 #endif