diff --git a/esphome/core/automation.h b/esphome/core/automation.h
index e156818312..0512752d50 100644
--- a/esphome/core/automation.h
+++ b/esphome/core/automation.h
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class ActionList {
     }
     this->actions_end_ = action;
   }
-  void add_actions(const std::vector<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
+  void add_actions(const std::initializer_list<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
     for (auto *action : actions) {
       this->add_action(action);
     }
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class Automation {
   explicit Automation(Trigger<Ts...> *trigger) : trigger_(trigger) { this->trigger_->set_automation_parent(this); }
 
   void add_action(Action<Ts...> *action) { this->actions_.add_action(action); }
-  void add_actions(const std::vector<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) { this->actions_.add_actions(actions); }
+  void add_actions(const std::initializer_list<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) { this->actions_.add_actions(actions); }
 
   void stop() { this->actions_.stop(); }
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/base_automation.h b/esphome/core/base_automation.h
index f1248e0035..af8cde971b 100644
--- a/esphome/core/base_automation.h
+++ b/esphome/core/base_automation.h
@@ -194,12 +194,12 @@ template<typename... Ts> class IfAction : public Action<Ts...> {
  public:
   explicit IfAction(Condition<Ts...> *condition) : condition_(condition) {}
 
-  void add_then(const std::vector<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
+  void add_then(const std::initializer_list<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
     this->then_.add_actions(actions);
     this->then_.add_action(new LambdaAction<Ts...>([this](Ts... x) { this->play_next_(x...); }));
   }
 
-  void add_else(const std::vector<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
+  void add_else(const std::initializer_list<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
     this->else_.add_actions(actions);
     this->else_.add_action(new LambdaAction<Ts...>([this](Ts... x) { this->play_next_(x...); }));
   }
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class WhileAction : public Action<Ts...> {
  public:
   WhileAction(Condition<Ts...> *condition) : condition_(condition) {}
 
-  void add_then(const std::vector<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
+  void add_then(const std::initializer_list<Action<Ts...> *> &actions) {
     this->then_.add_actions(actions);
     this->then_.add_action(new LambdaAction<Ts...>([this](Ts... x) {
       if (this->num_running_ > 0 && this->condition_->check_tuple(this->var_)) {
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ template<typename... Ts> class RepeatAction : public Action<Ts...> {
  public:
   TEMPLATABLE_VALUE(uint32_t, count)
 
-  void add_then(const std::vector<Action<uint32_t, Ts...> *> &actions) {
+  void add_then(const std::initializer_list<Action<uint32_t, Ts...> *> &actions) {
     this->then_.add_actions(actions);
     this->then_.add_action(new LambdaAction<uint32_t, Ts...>([this](uint32_t iteration, Ts... x) {
       iteration++;