diff --git a/esphome/components/e131/e131.cpp b/esphome/components/e131/e131.cpp
index f11e7f4fe3..4187857901 100644
--- a/esphome/components/e131/e131.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/e131/e131.cpp
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ void E131Component::setup() {
 }
 
 void E131Component::loop() {
-  std::vector<uint8_t> payload;
   E131Packet packet;
   int universe = 0;
   uint8_t buf[1460];
@@ -64,11 +63,9 @@ void E131Component::loop() {
   if (len == -1) {
     return;
   }
-  payload.resize(len);
-  memmove(&payload[0], buf, len);
 
-  if (!this->packet_(payload, universe, packet)) {
-    ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Invalid packet received of size %zu.", payload.size());
+  if (!this->packet_(buf, (size_t) len, universe, packet)) {
+    ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Invalid packet received of size %zd.", len);
     return;
   }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/e131/e131.h b/esphome/components/e131/e131.h
index 831138a545..d4b272eae2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/e131/e131.h
+++ b/esphome/components/e131/e131.h
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ class E131Component : public esphome::Component {
   void set_method(E131ListenMethod listen_method) { this->listen_method_ = listen_method; }
 
  protected:
-  bool packet_(const std::vector<uint8_t> &data, int &universe, E131Packet &packet);
+  bool packet_(const uint8_t *data, size_t len, int &universe, E131Packet &packet);
   bool process_(int universe, const E131Packet &packet);
   bool join_igmp_groups_();
   void join_(int universe);
diff --git a/esphome/components/e131/e131_packet.cpp b/esphome/components/e131/e131_packet.cpp
index e663a3d0fc..ed081e5758 100644
--- a/esphome/components/e131/e131_packet.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/e131/e131_packet.cpp
@@ -116,11 +116,11 @@ void E131Component::leave_(int universe) {
   ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Left %d universe for E1.31.", universe);
 }
 
-bool E131Component::packet_(const std::vector<uint8_t> &data, int &universe, E131Packet &packet) {
-  if (data.size() < E131_MIN_PACKET_SIZE)
+bool E131Component::packet_(const uint8_t *data, size_t len, int &universe, E131Packet &packet) {
+  if (len < E131_MIN_PACKET_SIZE)
     return false;
 
-  auto *sbuff = reinterpret_cast<const E131RawPacket *>(&data[0]);
+  auto *sbuff = reinterpret_cast<const E131RawPacket *>(data);
 
   if (memcmp(sbuff->acn_id, ACN_ID, sizeof(sbuff->acn_id)) != 0)
     return false;