diff --git a/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.cpp b/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.cpp
index 812b547860..252b477400 100644
--- a/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.cpp
@@ -141,6 +141,24 @@ void PrometheusHandler::add_friendly_name_label_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, st
   }
 }
 
+#ifdef USE_ESP8266
+void PrometheusHandler::print_metric_labels_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, const __FlashStringHelper *metric_name,
+                                             EntityBase *obj, std::string &area, std::string &node,
+                                             std::string &friendly_name) {
+#else
+void PrometheusHandler::print_metric_labels_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, const char *metric_name, EntityBase *obj,
+                                             std::string &area, std::string &node, std::string &friendly_name) {
+#endif
+  stream->print(metric_name);
+  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("{id=\""));
+  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
+  add_area_label_(stream, area);
+  add_node_label_(stream, node);
+  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
+  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
+  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
+}
+
 // Type-specific implementation
 #ifdef USE_SENSOR
 void PrometheusHandler::sensor_type_(AsyncResponseStream *stream) {
@@ -303,13 +321,7 @@ void PrometheusHandler::light_row_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, light::LightStat
   if (obj->is_internal() && !this->include_internal_)
     return;
   // State
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_state{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
+  print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_state"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
   stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\"} "));
   stream->print(obj->remote_values.is_on());
   stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
@@ -318,78 +330,45 @@ void PrometheusHandler::light_row_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, light::LightStat
   float brightness, r, g, b, w;
   color.as_brightness(&brightness);
   color.as_rgbw(&r, &g, &b, &w);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"brightness\"} "));
-  stream->print(brightness);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"r\"} "));
-  stream->print(r);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"g\"} "));
-  stream->print(g);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"b\"} "));
-  stream->print(b);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color{id=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-  add_area_label_(stream, area);
-  add_node_label_(stream, node);
-  add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-  stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"w\"} "));
-  stream->print(w);
-  stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
-  // Effect
-  std::string effect = obj->get_effect_name();
-  if (effect == "None") {
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_effect_active{id=\""));
-    stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-    add_area_label_(stream, area);
-    add_node_label_(stream, node);
-    add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-    stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",effect=\"None\"} 0\n"));
-  } else {
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_effect_active{id=\""));
-    stream->print(relabel_id_(obj).c_str());
-    add_area_label_(stream, area);
-    add_node_label_(stream, node);
-    add_friendly_name_label_(stream, friendly_name);
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",name=\""));
-    stream->print(relabel_name_(obj).c_str());
+  if (obj->get_traits().supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::BRIGHTNESS)) {
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"brightness\"} "));
+    stream->print(brightness);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
+  }
+  if (obj->get_traits().supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::RGB)) {
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"r\"} "));
+    stream->print(r);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"g\"} "));
+    stream->print(g);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"b\"} "));
+    stream->print(b);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
+  }
+  if (obj->get_traits().supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::WHITE)) {
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_color"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",channel=\"w\"} "));
+    stream->print(w);
+    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\n"));
+  }
+  // Skip effect metrics if light has no effects
+  if (!obj->get_effects().empty()) {
+    // Effect
+    std::string effect = obj->get_effect_name();
+    print_metric_labels_(stream, ESPHOME_F("esphome_light_effect_active"), obj, area, node, friendly_name);
     stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\",effect=\""));
-    stream->print(effect.c_str());
-    stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\"} 1\n"));
+    // Only vary based on effect
+    if (effect == "None") {
+      stream->print(ESPHOME_F("None\"} 0\n"));
+    } else {
+      stream->print(effect.c_str());
+      stream->print(ESPHOME_F("\"} 1\n"));
+    }
   }
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.h b/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.h
index 45cc81b899..24243c8c98 100644
--- a/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.h
+++ b/esphome/components/prometheus/prometheus_handler.h
@@ -66,6 +66,14 @@ class PrometheusHandler : public AsyncWebHandler, public Component {
   void add_area_label_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, std::string &area);
   void add_node_label_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, std::string &node);
   void add_friendly_name_label_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, std::string &friendly_name);
+  /// Print metric name and common labels (id, area, node, friendly_name, name)
+#ifdef USE_ESP8266
+  void print_metric_labels_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, const __FlashStringHelper *metric_name, EntityBase *obj,
+                            std::string &area, std::string &node, std::string &friendly_name);
+#else
+  void print_metric_labels_(AsyncResponseStream *stream, const char *metric_name, EntityBase *obj, std::string &area,
+                            std::string &node, std::string &friendly_name);
+#endif
 
 #ifdef USE_SENSOR
   /// Return the type for prometheus
diff --git a/tests/components/prometheus/common.yaml b/tests/components/prometheus/common.yaml
index 0b90d614dd..7ff416dccb 100644
--- a/tests/components/prometheus/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/prometheus/common.yaml
@@ -112,6 +112,25 @@ cover:
       }
       return COVER_CLOSED;
 
+light:
+  - platform: binary
+    name: "Binary Light"
+    output: test_output
+  - platform: monochromatic
+    name: "Brightness Light"
+    output: test_output
+  - platform: rgb
+    name: "RGB Light"
+    red: test_output
+    green: test_output
+    blue: test_output
+  - platform: rgbw
+    name: "RGBW Light"
+    red: test_output
+    green: test_output
+    blue: test_output
+    white: test_output
+
 lock:
   - platform: template
     id: template_lock1
@@ -122,6 +141,14 @@ lock:
       return LOCK_STATE_UNLOCKED;
     optimistic: true
 
+output:
+  - platform: template
+    id: test_output
+    type: float
+    write_action:
+      - lambda: |-
+          // no-op for CI/build tests
+          (void)state;
 select:
   - platform: template
     id: template_select1