diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
index 83c1fe8900..dd994c02a3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_ble_client/ble_client_base.cpp
@@ -136,6 +136,11 @@ void BLEClientBase::disconnect() {
 void BLEClientBase::_unconditional_disconnect() {
   // Disconnect without checking the state.
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "[%d] [%s] Disconnecting.", this->connection_index_, this->address_str_.c_str());
+  if (this->conn_id_ == UNSET_CONN_ID) {
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "[%d] [%s] No connection ID set, cannot disconnect.", this->connection_index_,
+             this->address_str_.c_str());
+    return;
+  }
   auto err = esp_ble_gattc_close(this->gattc_if_, this->conn_id_);
   if (err != ESP_OK) {
     ESP_LOGW(TAG, "[%d] [%s] esp_ble_gattc_close error, err=%d", this->connection_index_, this->address_str_.c_str(),