diff --git a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/__init__.py b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/__init__.py
index 112faa27e5..f21b5028c7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/bluetooth_proxy/__init__.py
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
         cv.Schema(
             {
                 cv.GenerateID(): cv.declare_id(BluetoothProxy),
-                cv.Optional(CONF_ACTIVE, default=False): cv.boolean,
+                cv.Optional(CONF_ACTIVE, default=True): cv.boolean,
                 cv.SplitDefault(CONF_CACHE_SERVICES, esp32_idf=True): cv.All(
                     cv.only_with_esp_idf, cv.boolean
                 ),