diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
index 3c3e87d332..67b1f565ff 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp32_arduino.cpp
@@ -283,6 +283,12 @@ bool WiFiComponent::wifi_sta_ip_config_(optional<ManualIP> manual_ip) {
   if (!this->wifi_mode_(true, {}))
     return false;
 
+  // Check if the STA interface is initialized before using it
+  if (s_sta_netif == nullptr) {
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "STA interface not initialized");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   esp_netif_dhcp_status_t dhcp_status;
   esp_err_t err = esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(s_sta_netif, &dhcp_status);
   if (err != ESP_OK) {
@@ -541,6 +547,8 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_event_callback_(esphome_wifi_event_id_t event, esphome_
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_STA_STOP: {
       ESP_LOGV(TAG, "STA stop");
+      // Clear the STA interface handle to prevent use-after-free
+      s_sta_netif = nullptr;
       break;
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_STA_CONNECTED: {
@@ -630,6 +638,10 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_event_callback_(esphome_wifi_event_id_t event, esphome_
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_AP_STOP: {
       ESP_LOGV(TAG, "AP stop");
+#ifdef USE_WIFI_AP
+      // Clear the AP interface handle to prevent use-after-free
+      s_ap_netif = nullptr;
+#endif
       break;
     }
     case ESPHOME_EVENT_ID_WIFI_AP_STACONNECTED: {
@@ -719,6 +731,12 @@ bool WiFiComponent::wifi_ap_ip_config_(optional<ManualIP> manual_ip) {
   if (!this->wifi_mode_({}, true))
     return false;
 
+  // Check if the AP interface is initialized before using it
+  if (s_ap_netif == nullptr) {
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "AP interface not initialized");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   esp_netif_ip_info_t info;
   if (manual_ip.has_value()) {
     info.ip = manual_ip->static_ip;
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
index 0b281e9b80..94f1f5125f 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -473,6 +473,12 @@ bool WiFiComponent::wifi_sta_ip_config_(optional<ManualIP> manual_ip) {
   if (!this->wifi_mode_(true, {}))
     return false;
 
+  // Check if the STA interface is initialized before using it
+  if (s_sta_netif == nullptr) {
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "STA interface not initialized");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   esp_netif_dhcp_status_t dhcp_status;
   esp_err_t err = esp_netif_dhcpc_get_status(s_sta_netif, &dhcp_status);
   if (err != ESP_OK) {
@@ -691,6 +697,8 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_process_event_(IDFWiFiEvent *data) {
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_STOP) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "STA stop");
     s_sta_started = false;
+    // Clear the STA interface handle to prevent use-after-free
+    s_sta_netif = nullptr;
 
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_STA_AUTHMODE_CHANGE) {
     const auto &it = data->data.sta_authmode_change;
@@ -789,6 +797,10 @@ void WiFiComponent::wifi_process_event_(IDFWiFiEvent *data) {
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_AP_STOP) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "AP stop");
     s_ap_started = false;
+#ifdef USE_WIFI_AP
+    // Clear the AP interface handle to prevent use-after-free
+    s_ap_netif = nullptr;
+#endif
 
   } else if (data->event_base == WIFI_EVENT && data->event_id == WIFI_EVENT_AP_PROBEREQRECVED) {
     const auto &it = data->data.ap_probe_req_rx;
@@ -865,6 +877,12 @@ bool WiFiComponent::wifi_ap_ip_config_(optional<ManualIP> manual_ip) {
   if (!this->wifi_mode_({}, true))
     return false;
 
+  // Check if the AP interface is initialized before using it
+  if (s_ap_netif == nullptr) {
+    ESP_LOGW(TAG, "AP interface not initialized");
+    return false;
+  }
+
   esp_netif_ip_info_t info;
   if (manual_ip.has_value()) {
     info.ip = manual_ip->static_ip;