diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
index a377abe380..b70fa4d0ca 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/captive_portal.cpp
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ void CaptivePortal::handle_wifisave(AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
   // Defer save to main loop thread to avoid NVS operations from HTTP thread
   this->defer([ssid, psk]() {
     wifi::global_wifi_component->save_wifi_sta(ssid, psk);
-    // Trigger immediate retry to attempt connection with new credentials
-    wifi::global_wifi_component->retry_connect();
+    // Trigger connection attempt (exits cooldown if needed)
+    wifi::global_wifi_component->connect_soon();
   });
   request->redirect(ESPHOME_F("/?save"));
 }
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp b/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
index f4c19b04d4..c456ad7d33 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esp32_improv/esp32_improv_component.cpp
@@ -381,8 +381,8 @@ void ESP32ImprovComponent::check_wifi_connection_() {
 
   if (this->state_ == improv::STATE_PROVISIONING) {
     wifi::global_wifi_component->save_wifi_sta(this->connecting_sta_.get_ssid(), this->connecting_sta_.get_password());
-    // Trigger immediate retry to attempt connection with new credentials
-    wifi::global_wifi_component->retry_connect();
+    // Trigger connection attempt (exits cooldown if needed, no-op if already connected)
+    wifi::global_wifi_component->connect_soon();
     this->connecting_sta_ = {};
     this->cancel_timeout("wifi-connect-timeout");
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
index 52e223670d..51f8c8b839 100644
--- a/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/improv_serial/improv_serial_component.cpp
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ void ImprovSerialComponent::loop() {
     if (wifi::global_wifi_component->is_connected()) {
       wifi::global_wifi_component->save_wifi_sta(this->connecting_sta_.get_ssid(),
                                                  this->connecting_sta_.get_password());
-      // Trigger immediate retry to attempt connection with new credentials
-      wifi::global_wifi_component->retry_connect();
+      // Trigger connection attempt (exits cooldown if needed, no-op if already connected)
+      wifi::global_wifi_component->connect_soon();
       this->connecting_sta_ = {};
       this->cancel_timeout("wifi-connect-timeout");
       this->set_state_(improv::STATE_PROVISIONED);
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index fa2ca92e55..401c60267e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -676,6 +676,14 @@ void WiFiComponent::save_wifi_sta(const std::string &ssid, const std::string &pa
   this->force_scan_after_provision_ = true;
 }
 
+void WiFiComponent::connect_soon() {
+  // Only trigger retry if we're in cooldown - if already connecting/connected, do nothing
+  if (this->state_ == WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_COOLDOWN) {
+    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Exiting cooldown early due to new WiFi credentials");
+    this->retry_connect();
+  }
+}
+
 void WiFiComponent::start_connecting(const WiFiAP &ap) {
   // Log connection attempt at INFO level with priority
   char bssid_s[18];
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
index 270404dff5..c014fc6343 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
@@ -292,6 +292,9 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
 
   void save_wifi_sta(const std::string &ssid, const std::string &password);
 
+  /// Trigger connection attempt soon (exits cooldown if needed, otherwise no-op if already connecting/connected)
+  void connect_soon();
+
   // ========== INTERNAL METHODS ==========
   // (In most use cases you won't need these)
   /// Setup WiFi interface.