diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index 32b0f0d953..2a570b53e8 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -478,10 +478,7 @@ uint16_t APIConnection::try_send_light_info(EntityBase *entity, APIConnection *c
   ListEntitiesLightResponse msg;
   auto traits = light->get_traits();
   const auto &color_modes_mask = traits.get_supported_color_modes();
-  msg.supported_color_modes.init(color_modes_mask.size());
-  for (auto mode : color_modes_mask) {
-    msg.supported_color_modes.push_back(static_cast<enums::ColorMode>(mode));
-  }
+  msg.supported_color_modes = color_modes_mask.get_mask();
   if (traits.supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::COLOR_TEMPERATURE) ||
       traits.supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::COLD_WARM_WHITE)) {
     msg.min_mireds = traits.get_min_mireds();
diff --git a/esphome/components/light/color_mode.h b/esphome/components/light/color_mode.h
index d58ab73fdf..fa3a0aaaac 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/color_mode.h
+++ b/esphome/components/light/color_mode.h
@@ -169,6 +169,9 @@ class ColorModeMask {
   constexpr Iterator begin() const { return Iterator(mask_, 0); }
   constexpr Iterator end() const { return Iterator(mask_, 16); }
 
+  /// Get the raw bitmask value for API encoding
+  constexpr uint16_t get_mask() const { return this->mask_; }
+
  private:
   uint16_t mask_{0};