diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index 7e2b2741a8..aa981d0b05 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
     // Still need to cancel existing timer if name is not empty
     if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
       LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-      this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+      this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
     }
     return;
   }
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   if (delay == 0 && type == SchedulerItem::TIMEOUT) {
     // Put in defer queue for guaranteed FIFO execution
     LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, true);
+    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
     this->defer_queue_.push_back(std::move(item));
     return;
   }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   // If name is provided, do atomic cancel-and-add
   if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
     // Cancel existing items
-    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
   }
   // Add new item directly to to_add_
   // since we have the lock held
@@ -448,12 +448,11 @@ bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_(Component *component, bool is_static_string, co
 
   // obtain lock because this function iterates and can be called from non-loop task context
   LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-  return this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+  return this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
 }
 
 // Helper to cancel items by name - must be called with lock held
-bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_cstr, SchedulerItem::Type type,
-                                        bool check_defer_only) {
+bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_cstr, SchedulerItem::Type type) {
   size_t total_cancelled = 0;
 
   // Check all containers for matching items
@@ -466,9 +465,6 @@ bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_c
         total_cancelled++;
       }
     }
-    if (check_defer_only) {
-      return total_cancelled > 0;
-    }
   }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.h b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
index abf52f5c13..39cee5a876 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.h
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class Scheduler {
 
  private:
   // Helper to cancel items by name - must be called with lock held
-  bool cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name, SchedulerItem::Type type, bool check_defer_only);
+  bool cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name, SchedulerItem::Type type);
 
   // Helper to extract name as const char* from either static string or std::string
   inline const char *get_name_cstr_(bool is_static_string, const void *name_ptr) {
diff --git a/tests/integration/fixtures/scheduler_defer_cancels_regular.yaml b/tests/integration/fixtures/scheduler_defer_cancels_regular.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fb6b1791dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/fixtures/scheduler_defer_cancels_regular.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+esphome:
+  name: scheduler-defer-cancel-regular
+
+host:
+
+logger:
+  level: DEBUG
+
+api:
+  services:
+    - service: test_defer_cancels_regular
+      then:
+        - lambda: |-
+            ESP_LOGI("TEST", "Starting defer cancels regular timeout test");
+
+            // Schedule a regular timeout with 100ms delay
+            App.scheduler.set_timeout(nullptr, "test_timeout", 100, []() {
+              ESP_LOGE("TEST", "ERROR: Regular timeout executed - should have been cancelled!");
+            });
+
+            ESP_LOGI("TEST", "Scheduled regular timeout with 100ms delay");
+
+            // Immediately schedule a deferred timeout (0 delay) with the same name
+            // This should cancel the regular timeout
+            App.scheduler.set_timeout(nullptr, "test_timeout", 0, []() {
+              ESP_LOGI("TEST", "SUCCESS: Deferred timeout executed");
+            });
+
+            ESP_LOGI("TEST", "Scheduled deferred timeout - should cancel regular timeout");
+
+            // Schedule test completion after 200ms (after regular timeout would have fired)
+            App.scheduler.set_timeout(nullptr, "test_complete", 200, []() {
+              ESP_LOGI("TEST", "Test complete");
+            });
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_scheduler_defer_cancel_regular.py b/tests/integration/test_scheduler_defer_cancel_regular.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..57b7134feb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/test_scheduler_defer_cancel_regular.py
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+"""Test that a deferred timeout cancels a regular timeout with the same name."""
+
+import asyncio
+
+from aioesphomeapi import UserService
+import pytest
+
+from .types import APIClientConnectedFactory, RunCompiledFunction
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_scheduler_defer_cancels_regular(
+    yaml_config: str,
+    run_compiled: RunCompiledFunction,
+    api_client_connected: APIClientConnectedFactory,
+) -> None:
+    """Test that set_timeout(name, 0) cancels a previously scheduled set_timeout(name, delay)."""
+
+    # Create a future to signal test completion
+    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()
+    test_complete_future: asyncio.Future[None] = loop.create_future()
+
+    # Track log messages
+    log_messages: list[str] = []
+    error_detected = False
+
+    def on_log_line(line: str) -> None:
+        nonlocal error_detected
+        if "TEST" in line:
+            log_messages.append(line)
+
+        if "ERROR: Regular timeout executed" in line:
+            error_detected = True
+
+        if "Test complete" in line and not test_complete_future.done():
+            test_complete_future.set_result(None)
+
+    async with (
+        run_compiled(yaml_config, line_callback=on_log_line),
+        api_client_connected() as client,
+    ):
+        # Verify we can connect
+        device_info = await client.device_info()
+        assert device_info is not None
+        assert device_info.name == "scheduler-defer-cancel-regular"
+
+        # List services
+        _, services = await asyncio.wait_for(
+            client.list_entities_services(), timeout=5.0
+        )
+
+        # Find our test service
+        test_service: UserService | None = None
+        for service in services:
+            if service.name == "test_defer_cancels_regular":
+                test_service = service
+                break
+
+        assert test_service is not None, "test_defer_cancels_regular service not found"
+
+        # Execute the test
+        client.execute_service(test_service, {})
+
+        # Wait for test completion
+        try:
+            await asyncio.wait_for(test_complete_future, timeout=5.0)
+        except asyncio.TimeoutError:
+            pytest.fail(f"Test timed out. Log messages: {log_messages}")
+
+        # Verify results
+        assert not error_detected, (
+            f"Regular timeout should have been cancelled but it executed! Logs: {log_messages}"
+        )
+
+        # Verify the deferred timeout executed
+        assert any(
+            "SUCCESS: Deferred timeout executed" in msg for msg in log_messages
+        ), f"Deferred timeout should have executed. Logs: {log_messages}"
+
+        # Verify the expected sequence of events
+        assert any(
+            "Starting defer cancels regular timeout test" in msg for msg in log_messages
+        )
+        assert any(
+            "Scheduled regular timeout with 100ms delay" in msg for msg in log_messages
+        )
+        assert any(
+            "Scheduled deferred timeout - should cancel regular timeout" in msg
+            for msg in log_messages
+        )