diff --git a/script/helpers.py b/script/helpers.py
index 8477385643..03e092fde4 100644
--- a/script/helpers.py
+++ b/script/helpers.py
@@ -756,7 +756,8 @@ def resolve_auto_load(
     return auto_load()
 
 
-def _get_components_graph_cache_key() -> str:
+@cache
+def get_components_graph_cache_key() -> str:
     """Generate cache key based on all component __init__.py file hashes.
 
     Uses git ls-files with sha1 hashes to generate a stable cache key that works
@@ -807,7 +808,7 @@ def create_components_graph() -> dict[str, list[str]]:
             # Verify cache version matches
             if cached_data.get("_version") == COMPONENTS_GRAPH_CACHE_VERSION:
                 # Verify cache is for current component state
-                cache_key = _get_components_graph_cache_key()
+                cache_key = get_components_graph_cache_key()
                 if cached_data.get("_cache_key") == cache_key:
                     return cached_data.get("graph", {})
                 # Cache key mismatch - stale cache, rebuild
@@ -898,7 +899,7 @@ def create_components_graph() -> dict[str, list[str]]:
     # Save to cache with version and cache key for validation
     cache_data = {
         "_version": COMPONENTS_GRAPH_CACHE_VERSION,
-        "_cache_key": _get_components_graph_cache_key(),
+        "_cache_key": get_components_graph_cache_key(),
         "graph": components_graph,
     }
     cache_file.parent.mkdir(exist_ok=True)
diff --git a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
index e73c134151..d2ed2dc798 100644
--- a/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
+++ b/tests/script/test_determine_jobs.py
@@ -543,6 +543,7 @@ def test_main_filters_components_without_tests(
     with (
         patch.object(determine_jobs, "root_path", str(tmp_path)),
         patch.object(helpers, "root_path", str(tmp_path)),
+        patch.object(helpers, "create_components_graph", return_value={}),
         patch("sys.argv", ["determine-jobs.py"]),
         patch.object(
             determine_jobs,
@@ -640,6 +641,7 @@ def test_main_detects_components_with_variant_tests(
     with (
         patch.object(determine_jobs, "root_path", str(tmp_path)),
         patch.object(helpers, "root_path", str(tmp_path)),
+        patch.object(helpers, "create_components_graph", return_value={}),
         patch("sys.argv", ["determine-jobs.py"]),
         patch.object(
             determine_jobs,
diff --git a/tests/script/test_helpers.py b/tests/script/test_helpers.py
index ecc8ad5e7e..f63538f233 100644
--- a/tests/script/test_helpers.py
+++ b/tests/script/test_helpers.py
@@ -1125,7 +1125,7 @@ def test_cache_key_generation(mock_git_output: str) -> None:
     mock_result.stdout = mock_git_output
 
     with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result):
-        key = helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        key = helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
 
         # Should be a 64-character hex string (SHA256)
         assert len(key) == 64
@@ -1138,8 +1138,8 @@ def test_cache_key_consistent_for_same_files(mock_git_output: str) -> None:
     mock_result.stdout = mock_git_output
 
     with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result):
-        key1 = helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
-        key2 = helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        key1 = helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        key2 = helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
 
         assert key1 == key2
 
@@ -1153,10 +1153,10 @@ def test_cache_key_different_for_changed_files() -> None:
     mock_result2.stdout = "100644 xyz789... 0 esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py\n"
 
     with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result1):
-        key1 = helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        key1 = helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
 
     with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result2):
-        key2 = helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        key2 = helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
 
     assert key1 != key2
 
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ def test_cache_key_uses_git_ls_files(mock_git_output: str) -> None:
     mock_result.stdout = mock_git_output
 
     with patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result) as mock_run:
-        helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key()
+        helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key()
 
         # Verify git ls-files was called with correct arguments
         mock_run.assert_called_once()
@@ -1203,7 +1203,7 @@ def test_cache_hit_returns_cached_graph(tmp_path: Path, mock_git_output: str) ->
 
     with (
         patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result),
-        patch("helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key", return_value=cache_key),
+        patch("helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key", return_value=cache_key),
         patch("helpers.temp_folder", str(tmp_path)),
     ):
         result = helpers.create_components_graph()
@@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ def test_cache_key_mismatch_ignored(tmp_path: Path, mock_git_output: str) -> Non
 
     with (
         patch("subprocess.run", return_value=mock_result),
-        patch("helpers._get_components_graph_cache_key", return_value=new_key),
+        patch("helpers.get_components_graph_cache_key", return_value=new_key),
         patch("helpers.temp_folder", str(tmp_path)),
     ):
         # Cache key mismatch should cause cache to be ignored