diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
index 518d353c90..c9f24a7759 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ static constexpr uint32_t KEEPALIVE_TIMEOUT_MS = 60000;
 class APIConnection : public APIServerConnection {
  public:
   friend class APIServer;
+  friend class ListEntitiesIterator;
   APIConnection(std::unique_ptr<socket::Socket> socket, APIServer *parent);
   virtual ~APIConnection();