diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index b4230576d..4acd2fc15 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -476,8 +476,9 @@ uint16_t APIConnection::try_send_light_info(EntityBase *entity, APIConnection *c
   auto *light = static_cast<light::LightState *>(entity);
   ListEntitiesLightResponse msg;
   auto traits = light->get_traits();
+  auto supported_modes = traits.get_supported_color_modes();
   // Pass pointer to ColorModeMask so the iterator can encode actual ColorMode enum values
-  msg.supported_color_modes = &traits.get_supported_color_modes();
+  msg.supported_color_modes = &supported_modes;
   if (traits.supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::COLOR_TEMPERATURE) ||
       traits.supports_color_capability(light::ColorCapability::COLD_WARM_WHITE)) {
     msg.min_mireds = traits.get_min_mireds();
diff --git a/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp b/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
index df17f53ad..8365ac77c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/light/light_call.cpp
@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ void LightCall::transform_parameters_() {
   }
 }
 ColorMode LightCall::compute_color_mode_() {
-  const auto &supported_modes = this->parent_->get_traits().get_supported_color_modes();
+  auto supported_modes = this->parent_->get_traits().get_supported_color_modes();
   int supported_count = supported_modes.size();
 
   // Some lights don't support any color modes (e.g. monochromatic light), leave it at unknown.
diff --git a/esphome/components/light/light_traits.h b/esphome/components/light/light_traits.h
index 294b0cad1..c3bb27a96 100644
--- a/esphome/components/light/light_traits.h
+++ b/esphome/components/light/light_traits.h
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ class LightTraits {
  public:
   LightTraits() = default;
 
-  const ColorModeMask &get_supported_color_modes() const { return this->supported_color_modes_; }
+  // Return by value to avoid dangling reference when get_traits() returns a temporary
+  ColorModeMask get_supported_color_modes() const { return this->supported_color_modes_; }
   void set_supported_color_modes(ColorModeMask supported_color_modes) {
     this->supported_color_modes_ = supported_color_modes;
   }