diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/__init__.py b/esphome/components/esp8266/__init__.py
index c4969a79b2..77ccaf52c1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/__init__.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from .const import (
     KEY_ESP8266,
     KEY_FLASH_SIZE,
     KEY_PIN_INITIAL_STATES,
+    KEY_WAVEFORM_REQUIRED,
     esp8266_ns,
 )
 from .gpio import PinInitialState, add_pin_initial_states_array
@@ -192,7 +193,12 @@ async def to_code(config):
 
     cg.add_platformio_option(
         "extra_scripts",
-        ["pre:testing_mode.py", "pre:exclude_updater.py", "post:post_build.py"],
+        [
+            "pre:testing_mode.py",
+            "pre:exclude_updater.py",
+            "pre:exclude_waveform.py",
+            "post:post_build.py",
+        ],
     )
 
     conf = config[CONF_FRAMEWORK]
@@ -264,10 +270,24 @@ async def to_code(config):
             cg.add_platformio_option("board_build.ldscript", ld_script)
 
     CORE.add_job(add_pin_initial_states_array)
+    CORE.add_job(finalize_waveform_config)
+
+
+@coroutine_with_priority(CoroPriority.WORKAROUNDS)
+async def finalize_waveform_config() -> None:
+    """Add waveform stubs define if waveform is not required.
+
+    This runs at WORKAROUNDS priority (-999) to ensure all components
+    have had a chance to call require_waveform() first.
+    """
+    if not CORE.data.get(KEY_ESP8266, {}).get(KEY_WAVEFORM_REQUIRED, False):
+        # No component needs waveform - enable stubs and exclude Arduino waveform code
+        # Use build flag (visible to both C++ code and PlatformIO script)
+        cg.add_build_flag("-DUSE_ESP8266_WAVEFORM_STUBS")
 
 
 # Called by writer.py
-def copy_files():
+def copy_files() -> None:
     dir = Path(__file__).parent
     post_build_file = dir / "post_build.py.script"
     copy_file_if_changed(
@@ -284,3 +304,8 @@ def copy_files():
         exclude_updater_file,
         CORE.relative_build_path("exclude_updater.py"),
     )
+    exclude_waveform_file = dir / "exclude_waveform.py.script"
+    copy_file_if_changed(
+        exclude_waveform_file,
+        CORE.relative_build_path("exclude_waveform.py"),
+    )
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/const.py b/esphome/components/esp8266/const.py
index b718306b01..14425cde68 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266/const.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/const.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import esphome.codegen as cg
+from esphome.core import CORE
 
 KEY_ESP8266 = "esp8266"
 KEY_BOARD = "board"
@@ -6,6 +7,25 @@ KEY_PIN_INITIAL_STATES = "pin_initial_states"
 CONF_RESTORE_FROM_FLASH = "restore_from_flash"
 CONF_EARLY_PIN_INIT = "early_pin_init"
 KEY_FLASH_SIZE = "flash_size"
+KEY_WAVEFORM_REQUIRED = "waveform_required"
 
 # esp8266 namespace is already defined by arduino, manually prefix esphome
 esp8266_ns = cg.global_ns.namespace("esphome").namespace("esp8266")
+
+
+def require_waveform() -> None:
+    """Mark that Arduino waveform/PWM support is required.
+
+    Call this from components that need the Arduino waveform generator
+    (startWaveform, stopWaveform, analogWrite, Tone, Servo).
+
+    If no component calls this, the waveform code is excluded from the build
+    to save ~596 bytes of RAM and 464 bytes of flash.
+
+    Example:
+        from esphome.components.esp8266.const import require_waveform
+
+        async def to_code(config):
+            require_waveform()
+    """
+    CORE.data.setdefault(KEY_ESP8266, {})[KEY_WAVEFORM_REQUIRED] = True
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/exclude_waveform.py.script b/esphome/components/esp8266/exclude_waveform.py.script
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..35d6bc31f6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/exclude_waveform.py.script
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+# pylint: disable=E0602
+Import("env")  # noqa
+
+import os
+
+# Filter out waveform/PWM code from the Arduino core build
+# This saves ~596 bytes of RAM and 464 bytes of flash by not
+# instantiating the waveform generator state structures (wvfState + pwmState).
+#
+# The waveform code is used by: analogWrite, Tone, Servo, and direct
+# startWaveform/stopWaveform calls. ESPHome's esp8266_pwm component
+# calls require_waveform() to keep this code when needed.
+#
+# When excluded, we provide stub implementations of stopWaveform() and
+# _stopPWM() since digitalWrite() calls these unconditionally.
+
+
+def has_define_flag(env, name):
+    """Check if a define exists in the build flags."""
+    define_flag = f"-D{name}"
+    # Check BUILD_FLAGS (where ESPHome puts its defines)
+    for flag in env.get("BUILD_FLAGS", []):
+        if flag == define_flag or flag.startswith(f"{define_flag}="):
+            return True
+    # Also check CPPDEFINES list (parsed defines)
+    for define in env.get("CPPDEFINES", []):
+        if isinstance(define, tuple):
+            if define[0] == name:
+                return True
+        elif define == name:
+            return True
+    return False
+
+# USE_ESP8266_WAVEFORM_STUBS is defined when no component needs waveform
+if has_define_flag(env, "USE_ESP8266_WAVEFORM_STUBS"):
+
+    def filter_waveform_from_core(env, node):
+        """Filter callback to exclude waveform files from framework build."""
+        path = node.get_path()
+        filename = os.path.basename(path)
+        if filename in (
+            "core_esp8266_waveform_pwm.cpp",
+            "core_esp8266_waveform_phase.cpp",
+        ):
+            print(f"ESPHome: Excluding {filename} from build (waveform not required)")
+            return None
+        return node
+
+    # Apply the filter to framework sources
+    env.AddBuildMiddleware(filter_waveform_from_core, "**/cores/esp8266/*.cpp")
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266/waveform_stubs.cpp b/esphome/components/esp8266/waveform_stubs.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..686e03c6a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266/waveform_stubs.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+#ifdef USE_ESP8266_WAVEFORM_STUBS
+
+// Stub implementations for Arduino waveform/PWM functions.
+//
+// When the waveform generator is not needed (no esp8266_pwm component),
+// we exclude core_esp8266_waveform_pwm.cpp from the build to save ~596 bytes
+// of RAM and 464 bytes of flash.
+//
+// These stubs satisfy calls from the Arduino GPIO code when the real
+// waveform implementation is excluded. They must be in the global namespace
+// with C linkage to match the Arduino core function declarations.
+
+#include <cstdint>
+
+// Empty namespace to satisfy linter - actual stubs must be at global scope
+namespace esphome::esp8266 {}  // namespace esphome::esp8266
+
+extern "C" {
+
+// Called by Arduino GPIO code to stop any waveform on a pin
+int stopWaveform(uint8_t pin) {
+  (void) pin;
+  return 1;  // Success (no waveform to stop)
+}
+
+// Called by Arduino GPIO code to stop any PWM on a pin
+bool _stopPWM(uint8_t pin) {
+  (void) pin;
+  return false;  // No PWM was running
+}
+
+}  // extern "C"
+
+#endif  // USE_ESP8266_WAVEFORM_STUBS
diff --git a/esphome/components/esp8266_pwm/output.py b/esphome/components/esp8266_pwm/output.py
index 2ddf4b9014..a78831c516 100644
--- a/esphome/components/esp8266_pwm/output.py
+++ b/esphome/components/esp8266_pwm/output.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 from esphome import automation, pins
 import esphome.codegen as cg
 from esphome.components import output
+from esphome.components.esp8266.const import require_waveform
 import esphome.config_validation as cv
 from esphome.const import CONF_FREQUENCY, CONF_ID, CONF_NUMBER, CONF_PIN
 
@@ -34,7 +35,9 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
 )
 
 
-async def to_code(config):
+async def to_code(config) -> None:
+    require_waveform()
+
     var = cg.new_Pvariable(config[CONF_ID])
     await cg.register_component(var, config)
     await output.register_output(var, config)
diff --git a/script/ci-custom.py b/script/ci-custom.py
index 609d89403f..f0676d594b 100755
--- a/script/ci-custom.py
+++ b/script/ci-custom.py
@@ -552,6 +552,8 @@ def convert_path_to_relative(abspath, current):
     exclude=[
         "esphome/components/libretiny/generate_components.py",
         "esphome/components/web_server/__init__.py",
+        # const.py has absolute import in docstring example for external components
+        "esphome/components/esp8266/const.py",
     ],
 )
 def lint_relative_py_import(fname: Path, line, col, content):