diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
index 2327648284..740107400a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
@@ -83,12 +83,9 @@ void DNSServer::stop() {
 
 void DNSServer::process_next_request() {
   // Process one request if socket is valid and data is available
-  if (this->socket_ != nullptr && this->socket_->ready()) {
-    this->process_dns_request();
+  if (this->socket_ == nullptr || !this->socket_->ready()) {
+    return;
   }
-}
-
-void DNSServer::process_dns_request() {
   struct sockaddr_in client_addr;
   socklen_t client_addr_len = sizeof(client_addr);
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
index 05efd359f4..13d9def8e3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ class DNSServer {
  protected:
   static constexpr size_t DNS_BUFFER_SIZE = 192;
 
-  void process_dns_request();
-
   std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> socket_{nullptr};
   network::IPAddress server_ip_;
   uint8_t buffer_[DNS_BUFFER_SIZE];