diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
index 67b1f565ff..89298e07c7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
@@ -547,8 +547,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_event_callback_(esphome_wifi_event_id_t event, esphome_
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_STA_STOP: {
       ESP_LOGV(TAG, "STA stop");
-      // Clear the STA interface handle to prevent use-after-free
-      s_sta_netif = nullptr;
       break;
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_STA_CONNECTED: {
@@ -638,10 +636,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_event_callback_(esphome_wifi_event_id_t event, esphome_
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_AP_STOP: {
       ESP_LOGV(TAG, "AP stop");
-#ifdef USE_WIFI_AP
-      // Clear the AP interface handle to prevent use-after-free
-      s_ap_netif = nullptr;
-#endif
       break;
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_AP_STACONNECTED: {
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index 94f1f5125f..d465b346b3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -697,8 +697,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_process_event_(IDFWiFiEvent *data) {
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_STOP) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "STA stop");
     s_sta_started = false;
-    // Clear the STA interface handle to prevent use-after-free
-    s_sta_netif = nullptr;
 
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_AUTHMODE_CHANGE) {
     const auto &it = data->data.sta_authmode_change;
@@ -797,10 +795,6 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_process_event_(IDFWiFiEvent *data) {
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_AP_STOP) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "AP stop");
     s_ap_started = false;
-#ifdef USE_WIFI_AP
-    // Clear the AP interface handle to prevent use-after-free
-    s_ap_netif = nullptr;
-#endif
 
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_AP_PROBEREQRECVED) {
     const auto &it = data->data.ap_probe_req_rx;