diff --git a/esphome/components/packages/__init__.py b/esphome/components/packages/__init__.py
index fdc75d995a..04057c07f2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/packages/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/packages/__init__.py
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.Any(
             str: PACKAGE_SCHEMA,
         }
     ),
-    cv.ensure_list(PACKAGE_SCHEMA),
+    [PACKAGE_SCHEMA],
 )
 
 
diff --git a/tests/component_tests/packages/test_packages.py b/tests/component_tests/packages/test_packages.py
index d66ca58a69..1c4c91aa52 100644
--- a/tests/component_tests/packages/test_packages.py
+++ b/tests/component_tests/packages/test_packages.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 import pytest
 
-from esphome.components.packages import do_packages_pass
+from esphome.components.packages import CONFIG_SCHEMA, do_packages_pass
 from esphome.config import resolve_extend_remove
 from esphome.config_helpers import Extend, Remove
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
@@ -94,6 +94,50 @@ def test_package_invalid_dict(basic_esphome, basic_wifi):
         packages_pass(config)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "package",
+    [
+        {"package1": "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml@main"},
+        {"package2": "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml"},
+        {"package3": "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/other-folder/file1.yml"},
+        [
+            "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml@main",
+            "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml",
+            "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/other-folder/file1.yml",
+        ],
+    ],
+)
+def test_package_shorthand(package):
+    CONFIG_SCHEMA(package)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "package",
+    [
+        # not github
+        {"package1": "someplace://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml@main"},
+        # missing repo
+        {"package2": "github://esphome/file1.yml"},
+        # missing file
+        {"package3": "github://esphome/non-existant-repo/@main"},
+        {"a": "invalid string, not shorthand"},
+        "some string",
+        3,
+        False,
+        {"a": 8},
+        ["someplace://esphome/non-existant-repo/file1.yml@main"],
+        ["github://esphome/file1.yml"],
+        ["github://esphome/non-existant-repo/@main"],
+        ["some string"],
+        [True],
+        [3],
+    ],
+)
+def test_package_invalid(package):
+    with pytest.raises(cv.Invalid):
+        CONFIG_SCHEMA(package)
+
+
 def test_package_include(basic_wifi, basic_esphome):
     """
     Tests the simple case where an independent config present in a package is added to the top-level config as is.