diff --git a/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.cpp b/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.cpp
index e0ca5529b..bd3f85772 100644
--- a/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 #include "zwave_proxy.h"
+
+#ifdef USE_API
+
 #include "esphome/components/api/api_server.h"
 #include "esphome/core/application.h"
 #include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
@@ -344,3 +347,5 @@ bool ZWaveProxy::response_handler_() {
 ZWaveProxy *global_zwave_proxy = nullptr;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
 }  // namespace esphome::zwave_proxy
+
+#endif  // USE_API
diff --git a/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.h b/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.h
index e23e202be..137a1206e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.h
+++ b/esphome/components/zwave_proxy/zwave_proxy.h
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "esphome/core/defines.h"
+#ifdef USE_API
+
 #include "esphome/components/api/api_connection.h"
 #include "esphome/components/api/api_pb2.h"
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
@@ -89,3 +92,5 @@ class ZWaveProxy : public uart::UARTDevice, public Component {
 extern ZWaveProxy *global_zwave_proxy;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
 }  // namespace esphome::zwave_proxy
+
+#endif  // USE_API