diff --git a/esphome/core/buildinfo.cpp b/esphome/core/buildinfo.cpp
index d17bf01124..4726f789a1 100644
--- a/esphome/core/buildinfo.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/buildinfo.cpp
@@ -34,5 +34,13 @@ const char *get_config_hash() {
 
 time_t get_build_time() { return (time_t) build_time; }
 
+const char *get_build_time_string() {
+  static char time_str[32];
+  time_t bt = get_build_time();
+  struct tm *tm_info = localtime(&bt);
+  strftime(time_str, sizeof(time_str), "%b %d %Y, %H:%M:%S", tm_info);
+  return time_str;
+}
+
 }  // namespace buildinfo
 }  // namespace esphome
diff --git a/esphome/core/buildinfo.h b/esphome/core/buildinfo.h
index cc4656f4dc..664b7985dd 100644
--- a/esphome/core/buildinfo.h
+++ b/esphome/core/buildinfo.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ namespace buildinfo {
 
 const char *get_config_hash();
 time_t get_build_time();
+const char *get_build_time_string();
 
 }  // namespace buildinfo
 }  // namespace esphome
diff --git a/esphome/core/config.py b/esphome/core/config.py
index 3adaf7eb9e..f7a5305144 100644
--- a/esphome/core/config.py
+++ b/esphome/core/config.py
@@ -501,7 +501,7 @@ async def to_code(config: ConfigType) -> None:
             config[CONF_NAME],
             config[CONF_FRIENDLY_NAME],
             config.get(CONF_COMMENT, ""),
-            cg.RawExpression('__DATE__ ", " __TIME__'),
+            cg.RawExpression("esphome::buildinfo::get_build_time_string()"),
             config[CONF_NAME_ADD_MAC_SUFFIX],
         )
     )