diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
index 3c5218af85..5a9b0677bc 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api_server.h
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ class APIServer : public Component, public Controller {
 #ifdef USE_API_YAML_SERVICES
     return this->user_services_;
 #else
-    static const std::vector<UserServiceDescriptor *> empty;
-    return this->user_services_ ? *this->user_services_ : empty;
+    static const std::vector<UserServiceDescriptor *> EMPTY;
+    return this->user_services_ ? *this->user_services_ : EMPTY;
 #endif
   }