diff --git a/esphome/components/socket/__init__.py b/esphome/components/socket/__init__.py
index 06b0ba2bf7..4f6634bd7a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/socket/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/socket/__init__.py
@@ -127,13 +127,12 @@ def require_wake_loop_threadsafe() -> None:
 
     Call this from components that need to wake the main event loop from background threads.
 
-    On ESP32: Uses FreeRTOS task notifications (<1 us, ISR-safe, no socket needed).
+    On ESP32: Uses FreeRTOS task notifications (<1 us, no socket needed).
     On other platforms: Uses a shared UDP loopback socket mechanism (~208 bytes RAM).
 
     This call is a no-op if networking is not enabled in the configuration.
 
-    On ESP32, this is safe to call from ISR context.
-    On other platforms, this is for background thread context only, NOT ISR context.
+    IMPORTANT: This is for background task context only, NOT ISR context.
 
     Example:
         from esphome.components import socket
diff --git a/esphome/core/application.cpp b/esphome/core/application.cpp
index 9de5aa1e9e..8950e6029e 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/application.cpp
@@ -634,16 +634,7 @@ void Application::unregister_socket_fd(int fd) {
 void Application::yield_with_select_(uint32_t delay_ms) {
   // Delay while monitoring sockets. When delay_ms is 0, always yield() to ensure other tasks run.
 #if defined(USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT) && defined(USE_ESP32)
-  // ESP32 fast path: direct rcvevent reads (~858 ns for 4 sockets vs 133 us for lwip_select)
-  if (!this->socket_fds_.empty()) [[likely]] {
-    FD_ZERO(&this->read_fds_);
-    for (int fd : this->socket_fds_) {
-      if (esphome_lwip_socket_has_data(fd)) {
-        FD_SET(fd, &this->read_fds_);
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
+  // ESP32 fast path: no fd_set needed — is_socket_ready_() reads rcvevent directly (~215 ns per socket)
   if (delay_ms == 0) [[unlikely]] {
     yield();
     return;
diff --git a/esphome/core/application.h b/esphome/core/application.h
index fba2ae54c2..5b087f59fe 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.h
+++ b/esphome/core/application.h
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@
 #endif
 
 #ifdef USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT
+#ifdef USE_ESP32
+#include "esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.h"
+#else
 #include <sys/select.h>
-#if defined(USE_WAKE_LOOP_THREADSAFE) && !defined(USE_ESP32)
+#ifdef USE_WAKE_LOOP_THREADSAFE
 #include <lwip/sockets.h>
 #endif
+#endif
 #endif  // USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT
 
 #ifdef USE_BINARY_SENSOR
@@ -497,10 +501,10 @@ class Application {
   bool is_socket_ready(int fd) const { return fd >= 0 && this->is_socket_ready_(fd); }
 
 #ifdef USE_WAKE_LOOP_THREADSAFE
-  /// Wake the main event loop from a FreeRTOS task or ISR.
-  /// Thread-safe, can be called from any context to immediately wake the main loop.
-  /// On ESP32: uses xTaskNotifyGive (<1 us, ISR-safe)
-  /// On other platforms: uses UDP loopback socket (NOT ISR-safe)
+  /// Wake the main event loop from another FreeRTOS task.
+  /// Thread-safe, but must only be called from task context (NOT ISR-safe).
+  /// On ESP32: uses xTaskNotifyGive (<1 us)
+  /// On other platforms: uses UDP loopback socket
   void wake_loop_threadsafe();
 #endif
 #endif
@@ -513,8 +517,13 @@ class Application {
   /// Fast path for Socket::ready() via friendship - skips negative fd check.
   /// Safe because: fd was validated in register_socket_fd() at registration time,
   /// and Socket::ready() only calls this when loop_monitored_ is true (registration succeeded).
-  /// FD_ISSET may include its own upper bounds check depending on platform.
+#ifdef USE_ESP32
+  /// ESP32: direct rcvevent read — always fresh, no fd_set snapshot needed (~215 ns)
+  bool is_socket_ready_(int fd) const { return esphome_lwip_socket_has_data(fd); }
+#else
+  /// Other platforms: check fd_set populated by select()
   bool is_socket_ready_(int fd) const { return FD_ISSET(fd, &this->read_fds_); }
+#endif
 #endif
 
   void register_component_(Component *comp);
@@ -605,12 +614,10 @@ class Application {
   bool socket_fds_changed_{false};  // Flag to rebuild base_read_fds_ when socket_fds_ changes
 #endif
 
-#ifdef USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT
-  // Variable-sized members
-  fd_set read_fds_{};  // Working fd_set: populated by select() or direct rcvevent reads
-#ifndef USE_ESP32
-  fd_set base_read_fds_{};  // Cached fd_set rebuilt only when socket_fds_ changes (select() path)
-#endif
+#if defined(USE_SOCKET_SELECT_SUPPORT) && !defined(USE_ESP32)
+  // Variable-sized members (not needed on ESP32 — is_socket_ready_ reads rcvevent directly)
+  fd_set read_fds_{};       // Working fd_set: populated by select()
+  fd_set base_read_fds_{};  // Cached fd_set rebuilt only when socket_fds_ changes
 #endif
 
   // StaticVectors (largest members - contain actual array data inline)
diff --git a/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.c b/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.c
index 9a54b4ef04..8684909dc1 100644
--- a/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.c
+++ b/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ static TaskHandle_t s_main_loop_task = NULL;
 static netconn_callback s_original_callback = NULL;
 
 // Wrapper callback: calls original event_callback + notifies main loop task.
-// Called from LwIP's TCP/IP thread when socket events occur.
+// Called from LwIP's TCP/IP thread when socket events occur (task context, not ISR).
 static void esphome_socket_event_callback(struct netconn *conn, enum netconn_evt evt, u16_t len) {
   // Call original LwIP event_callback first — updates rcvevent/sendevent/errevent,
   // signals any select() waiters. This preserves all LwIP behavior.
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ static void esphome_socket_event_callback(struct netconn *conn, enum netconn_evt
   }
   // Wake the main loop task if sleeping in ulTaskNotifyTake().
   // Only notify on receive events to avoid spurious wakeups from send-ready events.
-  // xTaskNotifyGive is thread-safe and ISR-safe, costs <1 us.
+  // xTaskNotifyGive is safe from task context (LwIP TCP/IP thread). NOT ISR-safe.
   if (evt == NETCONN_EVT_RCVPLUS) {
     TaskHandle_t task = s_main_loop_task;
     if (task != NULL) {
@@ -46,7 +46,13 @@ void esphome_lwip_fast_select_init(void) { s_main_loop_task = xTaskGetCurrentTas
 
 bool esphome_lwip_socket_has_data(int fd) {
   struct lwip_sock *sock = lwip_socket_dbg_get_socket(fd);
-  return sock != NULL && sock->conn != NULL && sock->rcvevent > 0;
+  if (sock == NULL || sock->conn == NULL)
+    return false;
+  // rcvevent is modified by LwIP's TCP/IP thread in event_callback.
+  // Use atomic load for C11 memory model correctness. On Xtensa/RISC-V (ESP32)
+  // aligned 16-bit reads are naturally atomic, so this compiles to a plain load
+  // but prevents compiler reordering.
+  return __atomic_load_n(&sock->rcvevent, __ATOMIC_RELAXED) > 0;
 }
 
 void esphome_lwip_hook_socket(int fd) {
@@ -59,7 +65,10 @@ void esphome_lwip_hook_socket(int fd) {
     s_original_callback = sock->conn->callback;
   }
 
-  // Replace with our wrapper
+  // Replace with our wrapper.
+  // Thread safety: pointer writes are atomic on ESP32 (32-bit aligned).
+  // The TCP/IP thread may read conn->callback concurrently, but it will see
+  // either the old or new pointer — both are valid (our wrapper calls the original).
   sock->conn->callback = esphome_socket_event_callback;
 }
 
@@ -68,7 +77,9 @@ void esphome_lwip_unhook_socket(int fd) {
   if (sock == NULL || sock->conn == NULL)
     return;
 
-  // Restore original callback
+  // Restore original callback.
+  // Thread safety: same as hook — pointer write is atomic on ESP32.
+  // TCP/IP thread sees either wrapper or original, both are safe.
   if (s_original_callback != NULL) {
     sock->conn->callback = s_original_callback;
   }
diff --git a/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.h b/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.h
index 8bd2a052af..4c47c13f20 100644
--- a/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.h
+++ b/esphome/core/lwip_fast_select.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 // Fast socket monitoring for ESP32 (ESP-IDF LwIP)
 // Replaces lwip_select() with direct rcvevent reads and FreeRTOS task notifications.
-// See fast_select.md for design rationale and benchmarks.
 
 #include <stdbool.h>
 
@@ -28,8 +27,8 @@ void esphome_lwip_hook_socket(int fd);
 /// Must be called from the main loop before closing the socket.
 void esphome_lwip_unhook_socket(int fd);
 
-/// Wake the main loop task from any thread or ISR — costs <1 us.
-/// Replaces the UDP loopback socket wake mechanism.
+/// Wake the main loop task from another FreeRTOS task — costs <1 us.
+/// NOT ISR-safe — must only be called from task context.
 void esphome_lwip_wake_main_loop(void);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/tests/components/socket/test_wake_loop_threadsafe.py b/tests/components/socket/test_wake_loop_threadsafe.py
index a40b6068a8..45d354f7b3 100644
--- a/tests/components/socket/test_wake_loop_threadsafe.py
+++ b/tests/components/socket/test_wake_loop_threadsafe.py
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 from esphome.components import socket
+from esphome.const import KEY_CORE, KEY_TARGET_PLATFORM, PLATFORM_ESP8266
 from esphome.core import CORE
 
 
+def _setup_non_esp32_platform() -> None:
+    """Set up CORE.data with a non-ESP32 platform for testing."""
+    CORE.data[KEY_CORE] = {KEY_TARGET_PLATFORM: PLATFORM_ESP8266}
+
+
 def test_require_wake_loop_threadsafe__first_call() -> None:
     """Test that first call sets up define and consumes socket."""
+    _setup_non_esp32_platform()
     CORE.config = {"wifi": True}
     socket.require_wake_loop_threadsafe()
 
@@ -32,6 +39,7 @@ def test_require_wake_loop_threadsafe__idempotent() -> None:
 
 def test_require_wake_loop_threadsafe__multiple_calls() -> None:
     """Test that multiple calls only set up once."""
+    _setup_non_esp32_platform()
     # Call three times
     CORE.config = {"openthread": True}
     socket.require_wake_loop_threadsafe()