diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
index 1a1d0b229b..5b096788f5 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ APIServer *global_api_server = nullptr;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-c
 
 APIServer::APIServer() { global_api_server = this; }
 
+void APIServer::socket_failed_(const LogString *msg) {
+  ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket %s: errno %d", LOG_STR_ARG(msg), errno);
+  this->destroy_socket_();
+  this->mark_failed();
+}
+
 void APIServer::setup() {
   ControllerRegistry::register_controller(this);
 
@@ -48,22 +54,20 @@ void APIServer::setup() {
 #endif
 #endif
 
-  this->socket_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_STREAM, 0);  // monitored for incoming connections
+  this->socket_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_STREAM, 0).release();  // monitored for incoming connections
   if (this->socket_ == nullptr) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Could not create socket");
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->socket_failed_(LOG_STR("creation"));
     return;
   }
   int enable = 1;
   int err = this->socket_->setsockopt(SOL_SOCKET, SO_REUSEADDR, &enable, sizeof(int));
   if (err != 0) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket unable to set reuseaddr: errno %d", err);
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket reuseaddr: errno %d", errno);
     // we can still continue
   }
   err = this->socket_->setblocking(false);
   if (err != 0) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket unable to set nonblocking mode: errno %d", err);
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->socket_failed_(LOG_STR("nonblocking"));
     return;
   }
 
@@ -71,22 +75,19 @@ void APIServer::setup() {
 
   socklen_t sl = socket::set_sockaddr_any((struct sockaddr *) &server, sizeof(server), this->port_);
   if (sl == 0) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket unable to set sockaddr: errno %d", errno);
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->socket_failed_(LOG_STR("set sockaddr"));
     return;
   }
 
   err = this->socket_->bind((struct sockaddr *) &server, sl);
   if (err != 0) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket unable to bind: errno %d", errno);
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->socket_failed_(LOG_STR("bind"));
     return;
   }
 
   err = this->socket_->listen(this->listen_backlog_);
   if (err != 0) {
-    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Socket unable to listen: errno %d", errno);
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->socket_failed_(LOG_STR("listen"));
     return;
   }
 
@@ -622,10 +623,7 @@ void APIServer::on_shutdown() {
   this->shutting_down_ = true;
 
   // Close the listening socket to prevent new connections
-  if (this->socket_) {
-    this->socket_->close();
-    this->socket_ = nullptr;
-  }
+  this->destroy_socket_();
 
   // Change batch delay to 5ms for quick flushing during shutdown
   this->batch_delay_ = 5;
diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index 3b9ba0e23b..fed29016b3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -249,8 +249,15 @@ class APIServer : public Component,
   void add_state_subscription_(std::string entity_id, optional<std::string> attribute,
                                std::function<void(const std::string &)> f, bool once);
 #endif  // USE_API_HOMEASSISTANT_STATES
+  // No explicit close() needed — listen sockets have no active connections on
+  // failure/shutdown. Destructor handles fd cleanup (close or abort per platform).
+  inline void destroy_socket_() {
+    delete this->socket_;
+    this->socket_ = nullptr;
+  }
+  void socket_failed_(const LogString *msg);
   // Pointers and pointer-like types first (4 bytes each)
-  std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> socket_ = nullptr;
+  socket::Socket *socket_{nullptr};
 #ifdef USE_API_CLIENT_CONNECTED_TRIGGER
   Trigger<std::string, std::string> client_connected_trigger_;
 #endif
diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
index 5743cbd671..bd9989a40c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.cpp
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ void DNSServer::start(const network::IPAddress &ip) {
 #endif
 
   // Create loop-monitored UDP socket
-  this->socket_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP);
+  this->socket_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_DGRAM, IPPROTO_UDP).release();
   if (this->socket_ == nullptr) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Socket create failed");
     return;
@@ -70,17 +70,14 @@ void DNSServer::start(const network::IPAddress &ip) {
   int err = this->socket_->bind((struct sockaddr *) &server_addr, addr_len);
   if (err != 0) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Bind failed: %d", errno);
-    this->socket_ = nullptr;
+    this->destroy_socket_();
     return;
   }
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Bound to port %d", DNS_PORT);
 }
 
 void DNSServer::stop() {
-  if (this->socket_ != nullptr) {
-    this->socket_->close();
-    this->socket_ = nullptr;
-  }
+  this->destroy_socket_();
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Stopped");
 }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
index 3e0ac07373..f8e4cfec84 100644
--- a/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
+++ b/esphome/components/captive_portal/dns_server_esp32_idf.h
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #pragma once
 #ifdef USE_ESP32
 
-#include <memory>
 #include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
 #include "esphome/components/network/ip_address.h"
 #include "esphome/components/socket/socket.h"
@@ -15,9 +14,15 @@ class DNSServer {
   void process_next_request();
 
  protected:
+  // No explicit close() needed — listen sockets have no active connections on
+  // failure/shutdown. Destructor handles fd cleanup (close or abort per platform).
+  inline void destroy_socket_() {
+    delete this->socket_;
+    this->socket_ = nullptr;
+  }
   static constexpr size_t DNS_BUFFER_SIZE = 192;
 
-  std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> socket_{nullptr};
+  socket::Socket *socket_{nullptr};
   network::IPAddress server_ip_;
   uint8_t buffer_[DNS_BUFFER_SIZE];
 };
diff --git a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.cpp b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.cpp
index df2ea98f2c..a1cdf59d2b 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.cpp
@@ -28,10 +28,9 @@ static constexpr uint32_t OTA_SOCKET_TIMEOUT_HANDSHAKE = 20000;  // milliseconds
 static constexpr uint32_t OTA_SOCKET_TIMEOUT_DATA = 90000;       // milliseconds for data transfer
 
 void ESPHomeOTAComponent::setup() {
-  this->server_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_STREAM, 0);  // monitored for incoming connections
+  this->server_ = socket::socket_ip_loop_monitored(SOCK_STREAM, 0).release();  // monitored for incoming connections
   if (this->server_ == nullptr) {
-    this->log_socket_error_(LOG_STR("creation"));
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->server_failed_(LOG_STR("creation"));
     return;
   }
   int enable = 1;
@@ -42,8 +41,7 @@ void ESPHomeOTAComponent::setup() {
   }
   err = this->server_->setblocking(false);
   if (err != 0) {
-    this->log_socket_error_(LOG_STR("non-blocking"));
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->server_failed_(LOG_STR("nonblocking"));
     return;
   }
 
@@ -51,22 +49,19 @@ void ESPHomeOTAComponent::setup() {
 
   socklen_t sl = socket::set_sockaddr_any((struct sockaddr *) &server, sizeof(server), this->port_);
   if (sl == 0) {
-    this->log_socket_error_(LOG_STR("set sockaddr"));
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->server_failed_(LOG_STR("set sockaddr"));
     return;
   }
 
   err = this->server_->bind((struct sockaddr *) &server, sizeof(server));
   if (err != 0) {
-    this->log_socket_error_(LOG_STR("bind"));
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->server_failed_(LOG_STR("bind"));
     return;
   }
 
   err = this->server_->listen(1);  // Only one client at a time
   if (err != 0) {
-    this->log_socket_error_(LOG_STR("listen"));
-    this->mark_failed();
+    this->server_failed_(LOG_STR("listen"));
     return;
   }
 }
@@ -455,6 +450,15 @@ void ESPHomeOTAComponent::log_remote_closed_(const LogString *during) {
   ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Remote closed at %s", LOG_STR_ARG(during));
 }
 
+void ESPHomeOTAComponent::server_failed_(const LogString *msg) {
+  this->log_socket_error_(msg);
+  // No explicit close() needed — listen sockets have no active connections on
+  // failure/shutdown. Destructor handles fd cleanup (close or abort per platform).
+  delete this->server_;
+  this->server_ = nullptr;
+  this->mark_failed();
+}
+
 bool ESPHomeOTAComponent::handle_read_error_(ssize_t read, const LogString *desc) {
   if (read == -1 && this->would_block_(errno)) {
     return false;  // No data yet, try again next loop
diff --git a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.h b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.h
index e199b7e406..c9e89c82ba 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.h
+++ b/esphome/components/esphome/ota/ota_esphome.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ class ESPHomeOTAComponent : public ota::OTAComponent {
     this->handshake_buf_pos_ = 0;  // Reset buffer position for next state
   }
 
+  void server_failed_(const LogString *msg);
   void log_socket_error_(const LogString *msg);
   void log_read_error_(const LogString *what);
   void log_start_(const LogString *phase);
@@ -83,7 +84,7 @@ class ESPHomeOTAComponent : public ota::OTAComponent {
   std::unique_ptr<uint8_t[]> auth_buf_;
 #endif  // USE_OTA_PASSWORD
 
-  std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> server_;
+  socket::Socket *server_{nullptr};
   std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> client_;
   std::unique_ptr<ota::OTABackend> backend_;