diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index 27344a53ec..b624cace2c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -1820,10 +1820,17 @@ bool APIConnection::try_to_clear_buffer(bool log_out_of_space) {
   return false;
 }
 bool APIConnection::send_buffer(ProtoWriteBuffer buffer, uint8_t message_type) {
-  if (!this->try_to_clear_buffer(message_type != SubscribeLogsResponse::MESSAGE_TYPE)) {  // SubscribeLogsResponse
+  const bool is_log_message = (message_type == SubscribeLogsResponse::MESSAGE_TYPE);
+
+  if (!this->try_to_clear_buffer(!is_log_message)) {
     return false;
   }
 
+  // Toggle NODELAY based on message type:
+  // - Log messages: Enable Nagle (NODELAY=false) so they coalesce into fewer packets
+  // - All other messages: Disable Nagle (NODELAY=true) for immediate delivery
+  this->helper_->set_nodelay(!is_log_message);
+
   APIError err = this->helper_->write_protobuf_packet(message_type, buffer);
   if (err == APIError::WOULD_BLOCK)
     return false;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
index 383e763e6d..6fdda64c3e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_frame_helper.h
@@ -111,6 +111,19 @@ class APIFrameHelper {
     }
     return APIError::OK;
   }
+  /// Set TCP_NODELAY option. Only calls setsockopt when state changes.
+  /// @param enable true to enable NODELAY (disable Nagle), false to enable Nagle
+  /// @return true if successful or already in desired state
+  bool set_nodelay(bool enable) {
+    if (this->nodelay_enabled_ == enable)
+      return true;
+    int val = enable ? 1 : 0;
+    int err = this->socket_->setsockopt(IPPROTO_TCP, TCP_NODELAY, &val, sizeof(int));
+    if (err == 0) {
+      this->nodelay_enabled_ = enable;
+    }
+    return err == 0;
+  }
   virtual APIError write_protobuf_packet(uint8_t type, ProtoWriteBuffer buffer) = 0;
   // Write multiple protobuf messages in a single operation
   // messages contains (message_type, offset, length) for each message in the buffer
@@ -198,7 +211,7 @@ class APIFrameHelper {
   uint8_t tx_buf_head_{0};
   uint8_t tx_buf_tail_{0};
   uint8_t tx_buf_count_{0};
-  // 8 bytes total, 0 bytes padding
+  bool nodelay_enabled_{true};  // Tracks current TCP_NODELAY state
 
   // Common initialization for both plaintext and noise protocols
   APIError init_common_();