diff --git a/esphome/components/mcp4461/mcp4461.h b/esphome/components/mcp4461/mcp4461.h
index 70b0c5561a..eec15a933f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/mcp4461/mcp4461.h
+++ b/esphome/components/mcp4461/mcp4461.h
@@ -96,10 +96,10 @@ class Mcp4461Component : public Component, public i2c::I2CDevice {
  protected:
   friend class Mcp4461Wiper;
   void set_write_protection_status_();
-  bool is_writing_();
-  bool is_eeprom_busy_();
   uint8_t get_wiper_address_(uint8_t wiper);
   uint16_t read_wiper_level_(uint8_t wiper);
+  bool is_writing_();
+  bool is_eeprom_ready_for_writing_(bool wait_if_not_ready);
   void write_wiper_level_(uint8_t wiper, uint16_t value);
   bool mcp4461_write_(uint8_t addr, uint16_t data, bool nonvolatile = false);
   uint8_t calc_terminal_connector_byte_(Mcp4461TerminalIdx terminal_connector);
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ class Mcp4461Component : public Component, public i2c::I2CDevice {
   WiperState reg_[8];
   void begin_();
   bool update_{false};
-  uint32_t previous_write_exec_time_;
+  bool last_write_timed_out_{false};
   bool write_protected_{false};
   bool wiper_0_disabled_{false};
   bool wiper_1_disabled_{false};