diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index 1626f395e6..839de29de7 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ uint16_t APIConnection::try_send_water_heater_info(EntityBase *entity, APIConnec
                                      is_single);
 }
 
-void APIConnection::on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) {
+void APIConnection::water_heater_command(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) {
   ENTITY_COMMAND_MAKE_CALL(water_heater::WaterHeater, water_heater, water_heater)
   if (msg.has_fields & enums::WATER_HEATER_COMMAND_HAS_MODE)
     call.set_mode(static_cast<water_heater::WaterHeaterMode>(msg.mode));
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
index 21bf4c4073..b839a2a97b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ class APIConnection final : public APIServerConnection {
 
 #ifdef USE_WATER_HEATER
   bool send_water_heater_state(water_heater::WaterHeater *water_heater);
-  void on_water_heater_command_request(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) override;
+  void water_heater_command(const WaterHeaterCommandRequest &msg) override;
 #endif
 
 #ifdef USE_IR_RF