diff --git a/esphome/components/http_request/__init__.py b/esphome/components/http_request/__init__.py
index ade7024bed..ef387553fe 100644
--- a/esphome/components/http_request/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/http_request/__init__.py
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
             cv.Optional(CONF_FOLLOW_REDIRECTS, True): cv.boolean,
             cv.Optional(CONF_REDIRECT_LIMIT, 3): cv.int_,
             cv.Optional(
-                CONF_TIMEOUT, default="5s"
+                CONF_TIMEOUT, default="4.5s"
             ): cv.positive_time_period_milliseconds,
             cv.SplitDefault(CONF_ESP8266_DISABLE_SSL_SUPPORT, esp8266=False): cv.All(
                 cv.only_on_esp8266, cv.boolean
diff --git a/esphome/components/http_request/http_request.h b/esphome/components/http_request/http_request.h
index 82b7392648..c01baf8644 100644
--- a/esphome/components/http_request/http_request.h
+++ b/esphome/components/http_request/http_request.h
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class HttpRequestComponent : public Component {
   const char *useragent_{nullptr};
   bool follow_redirects_;
   uint16_t redirect_limit_;
-  uint16_t timeout_{5000};
+  uint16_t timeout_{4500};
   uint32_t watchdog_timeout_{0};
 };