diff --git a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
index c7916516ac..291566557c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ ModemComponent::ModemComponent() {
 }
 
 std::string ModemComponent::send_at(const std::string &cmd) {
-  std::string result;
+  std::string result = "ERROR";
   command_result status = command_result::FAIL;
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Sending command: %s", cmd.c_str());
   if (this->modem_ready()) {
@@ -60,9 +60,6 @@ std::string ModemComponent::send_at(const std::string &cmd) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Result for command %s: %s (status %s)", cmd.c_str(), result.c_str(),
              command_result_to_string(status).c_str());
   }
-  if (status != esp_modem::command_result::OK) {
-    result = "ERROR";
-  }
   return result;
 }
 
@@ -560,6 +557,9 @@ bool ModemComponent::modem_sync_() {
   if (status && !this->internal_state_.modem_synced) {
     // First time the modem is synced, or modem recovered
     this->internal_state_.modem_synced = true;
+
+    ESPMODEM_ERROR_CHECK(this->dce->set_gnss_power_mode(this->gnss_), "Enabling/disabling GNSS");
+
     if (!this->prepare_sim_()) {
       // fatal error
       this->disable();