diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/__init__.py b/esphome/components/web_server/__init__.py
index d846a3418b..8ff7ce1d16 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/__init__.py
@@ -211,6 +211,7 @@ async def add_entity_config(entity, config):
     sorting_weight = config.get(CONF_SORTING_WEIGHT, 50)
     sorting_group_hash = hash(config.get(CONF_SORTING_GROUP_ID))
 
+    cg.add_define("USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING")
     cg.add(
         web_server.add_entity_config(
             entity,
@@ -296,4 +297,5 @@ async def to_code(config):
         cg.add_define("USE_WEBSERVER_LOCAL")
 
     if (sorting_group_config := config.get(CONF_SORTING_GROUPS)) is not None:
+        cg.add_define("USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING")
         add_sorting_groups(var, sorting_group_config)
diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
index 7e9e0ae80e..053a3e693a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.cpp
@@ -184,6 +184,7 @@ void DeferredUpdateEventSourceList::on_client_connect_(WebServer *ws, DeferredUp
   std::string message = ws->get_config_json();
   source->try_send_nodefer(message.c_str(), "ping", millis(), 30000);
 
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
   for (auto &group : ws->sorting_groups_) {
     message = json::build_json([group](JsonObject root) {
       root["name"] = group.second.name;
@@ -193,6 +194,7 @@ void DeferredUpdateEventSourceList::on_client_connect_(WebServer *ws, DeferredUp
     // up to 31 groups should be able to be queued initially without defer
     source->try_send_nodefer(message.c_str(), "sorting_group");
   }
+#endif
 
   source->entities_iterator_.begin(ws->include_internal_);
 
@@ -2060,6 +2062,18 @@ void WebServer::handleRequest(AsyncWebServerRequest *request) {
 
 bool WebServer::isRequestHandlerTrivial() const { return false; }
 
+void WebServer::add_sorting_info_(JsonObject &root, EntityBase *entity) {
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
+  if (this->sorting_entitys_.find(entity) != this->sorting_entitys_.end()) {
+    root["sorting_weight"] = this->sorting_entitys_[entity].weight;
+    if (this->sorting_groups_.find(this->sorting_entitys_[entity].group_id) != this->sorting_groups_.end()) {
+      root["sorting_group"] = this->sorting_groups_[this->sorting_entitys_[entity].group_id].name;
+    }
+  }
+#endif
+}
+
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
 void WebServer::add_entity_config(EntityBase *entity, float weight, uint64_t group) {
   this->sorting_entitys_[entity] = SortingComponents{weight, group};
 }
@@ -2067,15 +2081,7 @@ void WebServer::add_entity_config(EntityBase *entity, float weight, uint64_t gro
 void WebServer::add_sorting_group(uint64_t group_id, const std::string &group_name, float weight) {
   this->sorting_groups_[group_id] = SortingGroup{group_name, weight};
 }
-
-void WebServer::add_sorting_info_(JsonObject &root, EntityBase *entity) {
-  if (this->sorting_entitys_.find(entity) != this->sorting_entitys_.end()) {
-    root["sorting_weight"] = this->sorting_entitys_[entity].weight;
-    if (this->sorting_groups_.find(this->sorting_entitys_[entity].group_id) != this->sorting_groups_.end()) {
-      root["sorting_group"] = this->sorting_groups_[this->sorting_entitys_[entity].group_id].name;
-    }
-  }
-}
+#endif
 
 void WebServer::schedule_(std::function<void()> &&f) {
 #ifdef USE_ESP32
diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
index 25797c654b..3be99eebae 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server/web_server.h
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct UrlMatch {
   bool valid;          ///< Whether this match is valid
 };
 
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
 struct SortingComponents {
   float weight;
   uint64_t group_id;
@@ -55,6 +56,7 @@ struct SortingGroup {
   std::string name;
   float weight;
 };
+#endif
 
 enum JsonDetail { DETAIL_ALL, DETAIL_STATE };
 
@@ -474,11 +476,14 @@ class WebServer : public Controller, public Component, public AsyncWebHandler {
   /// This web handle is not trivial.
   bool isRequestHandlerTrivial() const override;  // NOLINT(readability-identifier-naming)
 
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
   void add_entity_config(EntityBase *entity, float weight, uint64_t group);
   void add_sorting_group(uint64_t group_id, const std::string &group_name, float weight);
 
   std::map<EntityBase *, SortingComponents> sorting_entitys_;
   std::map<uint64_t, SortingGroup> sorting_groups_;
+#endif
+
   bool include_internal_{false};
 
  protected:
diff --git a/esphome/components/web_server_idf/web_server_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/web_server_idf/web_server_idf.cpp
index 90fdf720cd..30c6b04fb2 100644
--- a/esphome/components/web_server_idf/web_server_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/web_server_idf/web_server_idf.cpp
@@ -338,6 +338,7 @@ AsyncEventSourceResponse::AsyncEventSourceResponse(const AsyncWebServerRequest *
   std::string message = ws->get_config_json();
   this->try_send_nodefer(message.c_str(), "ping", millis(), 30000);
 
+#ifdef USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
   for (auto &group : ws->sorting_groups_) {
     message = json::build_json([group](JsonObject root) {
       root["name"] = group.second.name;
@@ -348,6 +349,7 @@ AsyncEventSourceResponse::AsyncEventSourceResponse(const AsyncWebServerRequest *
     // since the only thing in the send buffer at this point is the initial ping/config
     this->try_send_nodefer(message.c_str(), "sorting_group");
   }
+#endif
 
   this->entities_iterator_->begin(ws->include_internal_);
 
diff --git a/esphome/core/defines.h b/esphome/core/defines.h
index 8abd6598f7..22454249aa 100644
--- a/esphome/core/defines.h
+++ b/esphome/core/defines.h
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@
 #define USE_VOICE_ASSISTANT
 #define USE_WEBSERVER
 #define USE_WEBSERVER_PORT 80  // NOLINT
+#define USE_WEBSERVER_SORTING
 #define USE_WIFI_11KV_SUPPORT
 
 #ifdef USE_ARDUINO