diff --git a/esphome/core/application.cpp b/esphome/core/application.cpp
index f963afa597..9c89a0947b 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/application.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void insertion_sort_by_priority(Iterator first, Iterator last) {
   }
 }
 
-void Application::register_component_(Component *comp) { this->components_.push_back(comp); }
+void Application::register_component_impl_(Component *comp) { this->components_.push_back(comp); }
 void Application::setup() {
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Running through setup()");
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Sorting components by setup priority");
diff --git a/esphome/core/application.h b/esphome/core/application.h
index ea70f8ac0d..8dcfafbb23 100644
--- a/esphome/core/application.h
+++ b/esphome/core/application.h
@@ -521,7 +521,14 @@ class Application {
 #endif
 #endif
 
-  __attribute__((noinline)) void register_component_(Component *comp);
+  /// Register a component - only callable from codegen-generated setup() via friend access.
+  template<class C> C *register_component_(C *c) {
+    static_assert(std::is_base_of<Component, C>::value, "Only Component subclasses can be registered");
+    this->register_component_impl_((Component *) c);
+    return c;
+  }
+
+  void register_component_impl_(Component *comp);
 
   void calculate_looping_components_();
   void add_looping_components_by_state_(bool match_loop_done);