diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
index 3172008ec7..7dbe621366 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_connection.cpp
@@ -1198,13 +1198,13 @@ bool APIConnection::send_voice_assistant_get_configuration_response(const VoiceA
 
   auto &config = voice_assistant::global_voice_assistant->get_configuration();
   for (auto &wake_word : config.available_wake_words) {
-    VoiceAssistantWakeWord resp_wake_word;
-    resp_wake_word.id = wake_word.id;
-    resp_wake_word.wake_word = wake_word.wake_word;
+    resp.available_wake_words.emplace_back();
+    auto &resp_wake_word = resp.available_wake_words.back();
+    resp_wake_word.set_id(StringRef(wake_word.id));
+    resp_wake_word.set_wake_word(StringRef(wake_word.wake_word));
     for (const auto &lang : wake_word.trained_languages) {
       resp_wake_word.trained_languages.push_back(lang);
     }
-    resp.available_wake_words.push_back(std::move(resp_wake_word));
   }
   for (auto &wake_word_id : config.active_wake_words) {
     resp.active_wake_words.push_back(wake_word_id);