diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index 5c01b4f3f4..525525dbc3 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -65,13 +65,13 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   const char *name_cstr =
       is_static_string ? static_cast<const char *>(name_ptr) : static_cast<const std::string *>(name_ptr)->c_str();
 
-  // Cancel existing timer if name is not empty
-  if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
-    this->cancel_item_(component, name_cstr, type);
-  }
-
-  if (delay == SCHEDULER_DONT_RUN)
+  if (delay == SCHEDULER_DONT_RUN) {
+    // Cancel existing timer if name is not empty
+    if (name_cstr != nullptr && name_cstr[0] != '\0') {
+      this->cancel_item_(component, name_cstr, type);
+    }
     return;
+  }
 
   const auto now = this->millis_();
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.h b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
index a64968932e..b3c69068b5 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.h
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 #include <vector>
 #include <memory>
+#include <cstring>
 
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
 #include "esphome/core/helpers.h"
@@ -135,10 +136,12 @@ class Scheduler {
   void set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type type, bool is_static_string, const void *name_ptr,
                          uint32_t delay, std::function<void()> func);
 
+  // Helper to cancel items by name - must be called with lock held
+  bool cancel_item_locked_(Component *component, const char *name, SchedulerItem::Type type);
+
   uint64_t millis_();
   void cleanup_();
   void pop_raw_();
-  void push_(std::unique_ptr<SchedulerItem> item);
   // Common implementation for cancel operations
   bool cancel_item_common_(Component *component, bool is_static_string, const void *name_ptr, SchedulerItem::Type type);