diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index a1a5699e1e..61d05d7635 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -480,7 +480,7 @@ bool WiFiComponent::matches_configured_network_(const char *ssid, const uint8_t
       continue;
     }
     // Match by SSID
-    if (sta.ssid_ == StringRef(ssid)) {
+    if (sta.ssid_ == ssid) {
       return true;
     }
   }
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
index e146f9a45b..4cf19a8059 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ class CompactString {
   bool operator!=(const CompactString &other) const { return !(*this == other); }
   bool operator==(const StringRef &other) const;
   bool operator!=(const StringRef &other) const { return !(*this == other); }
+  bool operator==(const char *other) const { return *this == StringRef(other); }
+  bool operator!=(const char *other) const { return !(*this == other); }
 
  protected:
   char *get_heap_ptr_() const {