diff --git a/homeassistant/components/esphome/assist_satellite.py b/homeassistant/components/esphome/assist_satellite.py
index f6367165400..adddacd3998 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/esphome/assist_satellite.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/esphome/assist_satellite.py
@@ -284,11 +284,15 @@ class EsphomeAssistSatellite(
             assert event.data is not None
             data_to_send = {"text": event.data["stt_output"]["text"]}
         elif event_type == VoiceAssistantEventType.VOICE_ASSISTANT_INTENT_PROGRESS:
-            data_to_send = {
-                "tts_start_streaming": "1"
-                if (event.data and event.data.get("tts_start_streaming"))
-                else "0",
-            }
+            if (
+                not event.data
+                or ("tts_start_streaming" not in event.data)
+                or (not event.data["tts_start_streaming"])
+            ):
+                # ESPHome only needs to know if early TTS streaming is available
+                return
+
+            data_to_send = {"tts_start_streaming": "1"}
         elif event_type == VoiceAssistantEventType.VOICE_ASSISTANT_INTENT_END:
             assert event.data is not None
             data_to_send = {
diff --git a/tests/components/esphome/test_assist_satellite.py b/tests/components/esphome/test_assist_satellite.py
index 3acdc1f2029..bfcc35b2e6a 100644
--- a/tests/components/esphome/test_assist_satellite.py
+++ b/tests/components/esphome/test_assist_satellite.py
@@ -1776,6 +1776,78 @@ async def test_get_set_configuration(
     assert satellite.async_get_configuration() == updated_config
 
 
+async def test_intent_progress_optimization(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_client: APIClient,
+    mock_esphome_device: MockESPHomeDeviceType,
+) -> None:
+    """Test that intent progress events are only sent when early TTS streaming is available."""
+    mock_device = await mock_esphome_device(
+        mock_client=mock_client,
+        device_info={
+            "voice_assistant_feature_flags": VoiceAssistantFeature.VOICE_ASSISTANT
+        },
+    )
+    await hass.async_block_till_done()
+
+    satellite = get_satellite_entity(hass, mock_device.device_info.mac_address)
+    assert satellite is not None
+
+    # Test that intent progress without tts_start_streaming is not sent
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.reset_mock()
+    satellite.on_pipeline_event(
+        PipelineEvent(
+            type=PipelineEventType.INTENT_PROGRESS,
+            data={"some_other_key": "value"},
+        )
+    )
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.assert_not_called()
+
+    # Test that intent progress with tts_start_streaming=False is not sent
+    satellite.on_pipeline_event(
+        PipelineEvent(
+            type=PipelineEventType.INTENT_PROGRESS,
+            data={"tts_start_streaming": False},
+        )
+    )
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.assert_not_called()
+
+    # Test that intent progress with tts_start_streaming=True is sent
+    satellite.on_pipeline_event(
+        PipelineEvent(
+            type=PipelineEventType.INTENT_PROGRESS,
+            data={"tts_start_streaming": True},
+        )
+    )
+    assert mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.call_args_list[-1].args == (
+        VoiceAssistantEventType.VOICE_ASSISTANT_INTENT_PROGRESS,
+        {"tts_start_streaming": "1"},
+    )
+
+    # Test that intent progress with tts_start_streaming as string "1" is sent
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.reset_mock()
+    satellite.on_pipeline_event(
+        PipelineEvent(
+            type=PipelineEventType.INTENT_PROGRESS,
+            data={"tts_start_streaming": "1"},
+        )
+    )
+    assert mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.call_args_list[-1].args == (
+        VoiceAssistantEventType.VOICE_ASSISTANT_INTENT_PROGRESS,
+        {"tts_start_streaming": "1"},
+    )
+
+    # Test that intent progress with no data is *not* sent
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.reset_mock()
+    satellite.on_pipeline_event(
+        PipelineEvent(
+            type=PipelineEventType.INTENT_PROGRESS,
+            data=None,
+        )
+    )
+    mock_client.send_voice_assistant_event.assert_not_called()
+
+
 async def test_wake_word_select(
     hass: HomeAssistant,
     mock_client: APIClient,