diff --git a/.github/workflows/auto-label-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/auto-label-pr.yml
index 748235df30..c42b5330d2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/auto-label-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/auto-label-pr.yml
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ jobs:
               const labels = new Set();
 
               // Check for missing tests
-              if ((allLabels.has('new-component') || allLabels.has('new-platform')) && !allLabels.has('has-tests')) {
+              if ((allLabels.has('new-component') || allLabels.has('new-platform') || allLabels.has('new-feature')) && !allLabels.has('has-tests')) {
                 labels.add('needs-tests');
               }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
index ba5f994e9a..2672ea1edb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/api/__init__.py
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ HOMEASSISTANT_TAG_SCANNED_ACTION_SCHEMA = cv.maybe_simple_value(
     HOMEASSISTANT_TAG_SCANNED_ACTION_SCHEMA,
 )
 async def homeassistant_tag_scanned_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
+    cg.add_define("USE_API_HOMEASSISTANT_SERVICES")
     serv = await cg.get_variable(config[CONF_ID])
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg, serv, True)
     cg.add(var.set_service("esphome.tag_scanned"))
diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
index 723466a5ff..80b7fbe960 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/bluetooth_proxy.cpp
@@ -183,6 +183,12 @@ void BluetoothProxy::bluetooth_device_request(const api::BluetoothDeviceRequest
         this->send_device_connection(msg.address, false);
         return;
       }
+      if (!msg.has_address_type) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "[%d] [%s] Missing address type in connect request", connection->get_connection_index(),
+                 connection->address_str().c_str());
+        this->send_device_connection(msg.address, false);
+        return;
+      }
       if (connection->state() == espbt::ClientState::CONNECTED ||
           connection->state() == espbt::ClientState::ESTABLISHED) {
         this->log_connection_request_ignored_(connection, connection->state());
@@ -209,13 +215,9 @@ void BluetoothProxy::bluetooth_device_request(const api::BluetoothDeviceRequest
         connection->set_connection_type(espbt::ConnectionType::V3_WITHOUT_CACHE);
         this->log_connection_info_(connection, "v3 without cache");
       }
-      if (msg.has_address_type) {
-        uint64_to_bd_addr(msg.address, connection->remote_bda_);
-        connection->set_remote_addr_type(static_cast<esp_ble_addr_type_t>(msg.address_type));
-        connection->set_state(espbt::ClientState::DISCOVERED);
-      } else {
-        connection->set_state(espbt::ClientState::SEARCHING);
-      }
+      uint64_to_bd_addr(msg.address, connection->remote_bda_);
+      connection->set_remote_addr_type(static_cast<esp_ble_addr_type_t>(msg.address_type));
+      connection->set_state(espbt::ClientState::DISCOVERED);
       this->send_connections_free();
       break;
     }
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
index e23be2e0c1..30e1866f9f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ bool BLEClientBase::parse_device(const espbt::ESPBTDevice &device) {
     return false;
   if (this->address_ == 0 || device.address_uint64() != this->address_)
     return false;
-  if (this->state_ != espbt::ClientState::IDLE && this->state_ != espbt::ClientState::SEARCHING)
+  if (this->state_ != espbt::ClientState::IDLE)
     return false;
 
   this->log_event_("Found device");
@@ -190,8 +190,7 @@ void BLEClientBase::unconditional_disconnect() {
     this->log_gattc_warning_("esp_ble_gattc_close", err);
   }
 
-  if (this->state_ == espbt::ClientState::SEARCHING || this->state_ == espbt::ClientState::READY_TO_CONNECT ||
-      this->state_ == espbt::ClientState::DISCOVERED) {
+  if (this->state_ == espbt::ClientState::READY_TO_CONNECT || this->state_ == espbt::ClientState::DISCOVERED) {
     this->set_address(0);
     this->set_state(espbt::ClientState::IDLE);
   } else {
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
index 0455d136df..0edde169eb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.cpp
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ const char *client_state_to_string(ClientState state) {
       return "DISCONNECTING";
     case ClientState::IDLE:
       return "IDLE";
-    case ClientState::SEARCHING:
-      return "SEARCHING";
     case ClientState::DISCOVERED:
       return "DISCOVERED";
     case ClientState::READY_TO_CONNECT:
@@ -136,9 +134,8 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::loop() {
   ClientStateCounts counts = this->count_client_states_();
   if (counts != this->client_state_counts_) {
     this->client_state_counts_ = counts;
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "connecting: %d, discovered: %d, searching: %d, disconnecting: %d",
-             this->client_state_counts_.connecting, this->client_state_counts_.discovered,
-             this->client_state_counts_.searching, this->client_state_counts_.disconnecting);
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "connecting: %d, discovered: %d, disconnecting: %d", this->client_state_counts_.connecting,
+             this->client_state_counts_.discovered, this->client_state_counts_.disconnecting);
   }
 
   if (this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::FAILED ||
@@ -158,10 +155,8 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::loop() {
     https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf/issues/6688
 
   */
-  bool promote_to_connecting = counts.discovered && !counts.searching && !counts.connecting;
 
-  if (this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::IDLE && !counts.connecting && !counts.disconnecting &&
-      !promote_to_connecting) {
+  if (this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::IDLE && !counts.connecting && !counts.disconnecting && !counts.discovered) {
 #ifdef USE_ESP32_BLE_SOFTWARE_COEXISTENCE
     this->update_coex_preference_(false);
 #endif
@@ -170,12 +165,11 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::loop() {
     }
   }
   // If there is a discovered client and no connecting
-  // clients and no clients using the scanner to search for
-  // devices, then promote the discovered client to ready to connect.
+  // clients, then promote the discovered client to ready to connect.
   // We check both RUNNING and IDLE states because:
   // - RUNNING: gap_scan_event_handler initiates stop_scan_() but promotion can happen immediately
   // - IDLE: Scanner has already stopped (naturally or by gap_scan_event_handler)
-  if (promote_to_connecting &&
+  if (counts.discovered && !counts.connecting &&
       (this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::RUNNING || this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::IDLE)) {
     this->try_promote_discovered_clients_();
   }
@@ -307,14 +301,7 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::gap_scan_event_handler(const BLEScanResult &scan_result) {
 
   if (scan_result.search_evt == ESP_GAP_SEARCH_INQ_RES_EVT) {
     // Process the scan result immediately
-    bool found_discovered_client = this->process_scan_result_(scan_result);
-
-    // If we found a discovered client that needs promotion, stop scanning
-    // This replaces the promote_to_connecting logic from loop()
-    if (found_discovered_client && this->scanner_state_ == ScannerState::RUNNING) {
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Found discovered client, stopping scan for connection");
-      this->stop_scan_();
-    }
+    this->process_scan_result_(scan_result);
   } else if (scan_result.search_evt == ESP_GAP_SEARCH_INQ_CMPL_EVT) {
     // Scan finished on its own
     if (this->scanner_state_ != ScannerState::RUNNING) {
@@ -640,9 +627,8 @@ void ESP32BLETracker::dump_config() {
                 this->scan_duration_, this->scan_interval_ * 0.625f, this->scan_window_ * 0.625f,
                 this->scan_active_ ? "ACTIVE" : "PASSIVE", YESNO(this->scan_continuous_));
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Scanner State: %s", this->scanner_state_to_string_(this->scanner_state_));
-  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Connecting: %d, discovered: %d, searching: %d, disconnecting: %d",
-                this->client_state_counts_.connecting, this->client_state_counts_.discovered,
-                this->client_state_counts_.searching, this->client_state_counts_.disconnecting);
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Connecting: %d, discovered: %d, disconnecting: %d", this->client_state_counts_.connecting,
+                this->client_state_counts_.discovered, this->client_state_counts_.disconnecting);
   if (this->scan_start_fail_count_) {
     ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Scan Start Fail Count: %d", this->scan_start_fail_count_);
   }
@@ -720,20 +706,9 @@ bool ESPBTDevice::resolve_irk(const uint8_t *irk) const {
          ecb_ciphertext[13] == ((addr64 >> 16) & 0xff);
 }
 
-bool ESP32BLETracker::has_connecting_clients_() const {
-  for (auto *client : this->clients_) {
-    auto state = client->state();
-    if (state == ClientState::CONNECTING || state == ClientState::READY_TO_CONNECT) {
-      return true;
-    }
-  }
-  return false;
-}
 #endif  // USE_ESP32_BLE_DEVICE
 
-bool ESP32BLETracker::process_scan_result_(const BLEScanResult &scan_result) {
-  bool found_discovered_client = false;
-
+void ESP32BLETracker::process_scan_result_(const BLEScanResult &scan_result) {
   // Process raw advertisements
   if (this->raw_advertisements_) {
     for (auto *listener : this->listeners_) {
@@ -759,14 +734,6 @@ bool ESP32BLETracker::process_scan_result_(const BLEScanResult &scan_result) {
     for (auto *client : this->clients_) {
       if (client->parse_device(device)) {
         found = true;
-        // Check if this client is discovered and needs promotion
-        if (client->state() == ClientState::DISCOVERED) {
-          // Only check for connecting clients if we found a discovered client
-          // This matches the original logic: !connecting && client->state() == DISCOVERED
-          if (!this->has_connecting_clients_()) {
-            found_discovered_client = true;
-          }
-        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -775,8 +742,6 @@ bool ESP32BLETracker::process_scan_result_(const BLEScanResult &scan_result) {
     }
 #endif  // USE_ESP32_BLE_DEVICE
   }
-
-  return found_discovered_client;
 }
 
 void ESP32BLETracker::cleanup_scan_state_(bool is_stop_complete) {
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
index 3022eb25d2..c369608d18 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_tracker/esp32_ble_tracker.h
@@ -141,12 +141,10 @@ class ESPBTDeviceListener {
 struct ClientStateCounts {
   uint8_t connecting = 0;
   uint8_t discovered = 0;
-  uint8_t searching = 0;
   uint8_t disconnecting = 0;
 
   bool operator==(const ClientStateCounts &other) const {
-    return connecting == other.connecting && discovered == other.discovered && searching == other.searching &&
-           disconnecting == other.disconnecting;
+    return connecting == other.connecting && discovered == other.discovered && disconnecting == other.disconnecting;
   }
 
   bool operator!=(const ClientStateCounts &other) const { return !(*this == other); }
@@ -159,8 +157,6 @@ enum class ClientState : uint8_t {
   DISCONNECTING,
   // Connection is idle, no device detected.
   IDLE,
-  // Searching for device.
-  SEARCHING,
   // Device advertisement found.
   DISCOVERED,
   // Device is discovered and the scanner is stopped
@@ -321,9 +317,6 @@ class ESP32BLETracker : public Component,
         case ClientState::DISCOVERED:
           counts.discovered++;
           break;
-        case ClientState::SEARCHING:
-          counts.searching++;
-          break;
         case ClientState::CONNECTING:
         case ClientState::READY_TO_CONNECT:
           counts.connecting++;