diff --git a/esphome/components/i2c/i2c_bus_esp_idf.cpp b/esphome/components/i2c/i2c_bus_esp_idf.cpp
index 24c1860e6f..e2c7e7ddcb 100644
--- a/esphome/components/i2c/i2c_bus_esp_idf.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/i2c/i2c_bus_esp_idf.cpp
@@ -15,8 +15,19 @@ static const char *const TAG = "i2c.idf";
 
 void IDFI2CBus::setup() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "Setting up I2C bus...");
-  static i2c_port_t next_port = 0;
-  port_ = next_port++;
+  static i2c_port_t next_port = I2C_NUM_0;
+  port_ = next_port;
+#if I2C_NUM_MAX > 1
+  next_port = (next_port == I2C_NUM_0) ? I2C_NUM_1 : I2C_NUM_MAX;
+#else
+  next_port = I2C_NUM_MAX;
+#endif
+
+  if (port_ == I2C_NUM_MAX) {
+    ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Too many I2C buses configured");
+    this->mark_failed();
+    return;
+  }
 
   recover_();