diff --git a/esphome/components/interval/interval.h b/esphome/components/interval/interval.h
index 8f904b104d..e419841e6c 100644
--- a/esphome/components/interval/interval.h
+++ b/esphome/components/interval/interval.h
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include "esphome/core/component.h"
+#include "esphome/core/log.h"
 #include "esphome/core/automation.h"
 
 namespace esphome {
@@ -8,16 +9,12 @@ namespace interval {
 
 class IntervalTrigger : public Trigger<>, public PollingComponent {
  public:
-  void update() override {
-    if (this->started_)
-      this->trigger();
-  }
+  void update() override { this->trigger(); }
 
   void setup() override {
-    if (this->startup_delay_ == 0) {
-      this->started_ = true;
-    } else {
-      this->set_timeout(this->startup_delay_, [this] { this->started_ = true; });
+    if (this->startup_delay_ != 0) {
+      this->stop_poller();
+      this->set_timeout(this->startup_delay_, [this] { this->start_poller(); });
     }
   }
 
@@ -25,7 +22,6 @@ class IntervalTrigger : public Trigger<>, public PollingComponent {
 
  protected:
   uint32_t startup_delay_{0};
-  bool started_{false};
 };
 
 }  // namespace interval
diff --git a/esphome/core/component.cpp b/esphome/core/component.cpp
index aec6c17786..a6a59d30d5 100644
--- a/esphome/core/component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/component.cpp
@@ -373,11 +373,10 @@ bool Component::has_overridden_loop() const {
 PollingComponent::PollingComponent(uint32_t update_interval) : update_interval_(update_interval) {}
 
 void PollingComponent::call_setup() {
+  // init the poller before calling setup, allowing setup to cancel it if desired
+  this->start_poller();
   // Let the polling component subclass setup their HW.
   this->setup();
-
-  // init the poller
-  this->start_poller();
 }
 
 void PollingComponent::start_poller() {
diff --git a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
index 9e66fd3432..fc5d43d262 100644
--- a/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/scheduler.cpp
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ static const char *const TAG = "scheduler";
 static const uint32_t MAX_LOGICALLY_DELETED_ITEMS = 10;
 // Half the 32-bit range - used to detect rollovers vs normal time progression
 static constexpr uint32_t HALF_MAX_UINT32 = std::numeric_limits<uint32_t>::max() / 2;
+// max delay to start an interval sequence
+static constexpr uint32_t MAX_INTERVAL_DELAY = 5000;
 
 // Uncomment to debug scheduler
 // #define ESPHOME_DEBUG_SCHEDULER
@@ -100,9 +102,11 @@ void HOT Scheduler::set_timer_common_(Component *component, SchedulerItem::Type
   // Type-specific setup
   if (type == SchedulerItem::INTERVAL) {
     item->interval = delay;
-    // Calculate random offset (0 to interval/2)
-    uint32_t offset = (delay != 0) ? (random_uint32() % delay) / 2 : 0;
+    // first execution happens immediately after a random smallish offset
+    // Calculate random offset (0 to min(interval/2, 5s))
+    uint32_t offset = (uint32_t) (std::min(delay / 2, MAX_INTERVAL_DELAY) * random_float());
     item->next_execution_ = now + offset;
+    ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Scheduler interval for %s is %" PRIu32 "ms, offset %" PRIu32 "ms", name_cstr, delay, offset);
   } else {
     item->interval = 0;
     item->next_execution_ = now + delay;