From 7f06e0bbca36e151644a16d3b52500695f3484db Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "J. Nick Koston" <nick@home-assistant.io>
Date: Fri, 24 Oct 2025 13:32:18 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] [template] Store initial option as index in template select

---
 .../components/template/select/__init__.py    |  3 +-
 .../template/select/template_select.cpp       | 30 +++++++++----------
 .../template/select/template_select.h         |  4 +--
 3 files changed, 18 insertions(+), 19 deletions(-)

diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py b/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
index 3282092d63..b998a1c2c7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/__init__.py
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ async def to_code(config):
 
     else:
         cg.add(var.set_optimistic(config[CONF_OPTIMISTIC]))
-        cg.add(var.set_initial_option(config[CONF_INITIAL_OPTION]))
+        initial_option_index = config[CONF_OPTIONS].index(config[CONF_INITIAL_OPTION])
+        cg.add(var.set_initial_option_index(initial_option_index))
 
         if CONF_RESTORE_VALUE in config:
             cg.add(var.set_restore_value(config[CONF_RESTORE_VALUE]))
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
index 95b0ee0d2b..a07215e77e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.cpp
@@ -10,26 +10,21 @@ void TemplateSelect::setup() {
   if (this->f_.has_value())
     return;
 
-  std::string value;
-  if (!this->restore_value_) {
-    value = this->initial_option_;
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from initial: %s", value.c_str());
-  } else {
-    size_t index;
+  size_t index = this->initial_option_index_;
+  if (this->restore_value_) {
     this->pref_ = global_preferences->make_preference<size_t>(this->get_preference_hash());
-    if (!this->pref_.load(&index)) {
-      value = this->initial_option_;
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from initial (could not load stored index): %s", value.c_str());
-    } else if (!this->has_index(index)) {
-      value = this->initial_option_;
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from initial (restored index %d out of bounds): %s", index, value.c_str());
+    size_t restored_index;
+    if (this->pref_.load(&restored_index) && this->has_index(restored_index)) {
+      index = restored_index;
+      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from restore: %s", this->at(index).value().c_str());
     } else {
-      value = this->at(index).value();
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from restore: %s", value.c_str());
+      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from initial (could not load or invalid stored index): %s", this->at(index).value().c_str());
     }
+  } else {
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "State from initial: %s", this->at(index).value().c_str());
   }
 
-  this->publish_state(value);
+  this->publish_state(this->at(index).value());
 }
 
 void TemplateSelect::update() {
@@ -65,11 +60,14 @@ void TemplateSelect::dump_config() {
   LOG_UPDATE_INTERVAL(this);
   if (this->f_.has_value())
     return;
+  auto initial_option = this->at(this->initial_option_index_);
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG,
                 "  Optimistic: %s\n"
                 "  Initial Option: %s\n"
                 "  Restore Value: %s",
-                YESNO(this->optimistic_), this->initial_option_.c_str(), YESNO(this->restore_value_));
+                YESNO(this->optimistic_),
+                initial_option.has_value() ? initial_option.value().c_str() : LOG_STR_LITERAL("unknown"),
+                YESNO(this->restore_value_));
 }
 
 }  // namespace template_
diff --git a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
index 2f00765c3d..d46ce38314 100644
--- a/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
+++ b/esphome/components/template/select/template_select.h
@@ -19,13 +19,13 @@ class TemplateSelect : public select::Select, public PollingComponent {
 
   Trigger<std::string> *get_set_trigger() const { return this->set_trigger_; }
   void set_optimistic(bool optimistic) { this->optimistic_ = optimistic; }
-  void set_initial_option(const std::string &initial_option) { this->initial_option_ = initial_option; }
+  void set_initial_option_index(size_t initial_option_index) { this->initial_option_index_ = initial_option_index; }
   void set_restore_value(bool restore_value) { this->restore_value_ = restore_value; }
 
  protected:
   void control(const std::string &value) override;
   bool optimistic_ = false;
-  std::string initial_option_;
+  size_t initial_option_index_{0};
   bool restore_value_ = false;
   Trigger<std::string> *set_trigger_ = new Trigger<std::string>();
   optional<std::function<optional<std::string>()>> f_;