diff --git a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
index 75c59e77ba..96a222da84 100644
--- a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 #include "runtime_stats.h"
-#include "esphome/core/defines.h"
 
 #ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
 
@@ -10,6 +9,9 @@ namespace esphome {
 
 namespace runtime_stats {
 
+// Forward declaration to help compiler
+class RuntimeStatsCollector;
+
 RuntimeStatsCollector::RuntimeStatsCollector() : log_interval_(60000), next_log_time_(0) {
   global_runtime_stats = this;
 }
diff --git a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
index 24dae46b2e..de241e439c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
+++ b/esphome/components/runtime_stats/runtime_stats.h
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
+#include "esphome/core/defines.h"
+
 #ifdef USE_RUNTIME_STATS
 
 #include <map>
@@ -122,4 +124,4 @@ extern runtime_stats::RuntimeStatsCollector
 
 }  // namespace esphome
 
-#endif  // USE_RUNTIME_STATS
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif  // USE_RUNTIME_STATS