diff --git a/esphome/components/api/api.proto b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
index 4437617354..f0f7f4a3b1 100644
--- a/esphome/components/api/api.proto
+++ b/esphome/components/api/api.proto
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ message GetTimeResponse {
   option (no_delay) = true;
 
   fixed32 epoch_seconds = 1;
-  string timezone = 2;
+  string timezone = 2 [deprecated = true];  // Use parsed_timezone instead. Remove before 2026.9.0.
   ParsedTimezone parsed_timezone = 3;
 }