diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index 7e2b2741a8..aa981d0b05 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
     // Still need to cancel existing timer if name is not empty
     if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
       LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-      this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+      this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
     }
     return;
   }
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   if (delay == 0 && type == SchedulerItem::TIMEOUT) {
     // Put in defer queue for guaranteed FIFO execution
     LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, true);
+    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
     this->defer_queue_.push_back(std::move(item));
     return;
   }
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   // If name is provided, do atomic cancel-and-add
   if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
     // Cancel existing items
-    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+    this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
   }
   // Add new item directly to to_add_
   // since we have the lock held
@@ -448,12 +448,11 @@ bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_(Component *component, bool is_static_string, co
 
   // obtain lock because this function iterates and can be called from non-loop task context
   LockGuard guard{this->lock_};
-  return this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type, false);
+  return this->cancel_item_locked_(component, name_cstr, type);
 }
 
 // Helper to cancel items by name - must be called with lock held
-bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_cstr, SchedulerItem::Type type,
-                                        bool check_defer_only) {
+bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_cstr, SchedulerItem::Type type) {
   size_t total_cancelled = 0;
 
   // Check all containers for matching items
@@ -466,9 +465,6 @@ bool HOT Scheduler::cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name_c
         total_cancelled++;
       }
     }
-    if (check_defer_only) {
-      return total_cancelled > 0;
-    }
   }
 #endif
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.h b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
index abf52f5c13..39cee5a876 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.h
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ class Scheduler {
 
  private:
   // Helper to cancel items by name - must be called with lock held
-  bool cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name, SchedulerItem::Type type, bool check_defer_only);
+  bool cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name, SchedulerItem::Type type);
 
   // Helper to extract name as const char* from either static string or std::string
   inline const char *get_name_cstr_(bool is_static_string, const void *name_ptr) {