diff --git a/esphome/core/entity_base.cpp b/esphome/core/entity_base.cpp
index a9e1414018..6f88f069b3 100644
--- a/esphome/core/entity_base.cpp
+++ b/esphome/core/entity_base.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,13 @@ bool EntityBase::is_disabled_by_default() const { return this->disabled_by_defau
 void EntityBase::set_disabled_by_default(bool disabled_by_default) { this->disabled_by_default_ = disabled_by_default; }
 
 // Entity Icon
-const std::string &EntityBase::get_icon() const { return this->icon_; }
-void EntityBase::set_icon(const std::string &name) { this->icon_ = name; }
+std::string EntityBase::get_icon() const {
+  if (this->icon_c_str_ == nullptr) {
+    return "";
+  }
+  return this->icon_c_str_;
+}
+void EntityBase::set_icon(const char *icon) { this->icon_c_str_ = icon; }
 
 // Entity Category
 EntityCategory EntityBase::get_entity_category() const { return this->entity_category_; }
diff --git a/esphome/core/entity_base.h b/esphome/core/entity_base.h
index a9eedfd07e..f6aae4e978 100644
--- a/esphome/core/entity_base.h
+++ b/esphome/core/entity_base.h
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ class EntityBase {
   void set_entity_category(EntityCategory entity_category);
 
   // Get/set this entity's icon
-  const std::string &get_icon() const;
-  void set_icon(const std::string &name);
+  std::string get_icon() const;
+  void set_icon(const char *icon);
 
  protected:
   /// The hash_base() function has been deprecated. It is kept in this
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class EntityBase {
 
   std::string name_;
   std::string object_id_;
-  std::string icon_;
+  const char *icon_c_str_{nullptr};
   uint32_t object_id_hash_;
   bool internal_{false};
   bool disabled_by_default_{false};