diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
index c9da07795c..068d015732 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/__init__.py
@@ -53,6 +53,9 @@ WIFI_POWER_SAVE_MODES = {
     "HIGH": WiFiPowerSaveMode.WIFI_POWER_SAVE_HIGH,
 }
 WiFiConnectedCondition = wifi_ns.class_("WiFiConnectedCondition", Condition)
+WiFiEnabledCondition = wifi_ns.class_("WiFiEnabledCondition", Condition)
+WiFiEnableAction = wifi_ns.class_("WiFiEnableAction", automation.Action)
+WiFiDisableAction = wifi_ns.class_("WiFiDisableAction", automation.Action)
 
 
 def validate_password(value):
@@ -253,6 +256,7 @@ def _validate(config):
 
 CONF_OUTPUT_POWER = "output_power"
 CONF_PASSIVE_SCAN = "passive_scan"
+CONF_ENABLE_ON_BOOT = "enable_on_boot"
 CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
     cv.Schema(
         {
@@ -286,6 +290,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
                 "This option has been removed. Please use the [disabled] option under the "
                 "new mdns component instead."
             ),
+            cv.Optional(CONF_ENABLE_ON_BOOT, default=True): cv.boolean,
         }
     ),
     _validate,
@@ -385,6 +390,8 @@ async def to_code(config):
     if CONF_OUTPUT_POWER in config:
         cg.add(var.set_output_power(config[CONF_OUTPUT_POWER]))
 
+    cg.add(var.set_enable_on_boot(config[CONF_ENABLE_ON_BOOT]))
+
     if CORE.is_esp8266:
         cg.add_library("ESP8266WiFi", None)
     elif CORE.is_esp32 and CORE.using_arduino:
@@ -410,3 +417,18 @@ async def to_code(config):
 @automation.register_condition("wifi.connected", WiFiConnectedCondition, cv.Schema({}))
 async def wifi_connected_to_code(config, condition_id, template_arg, args):
     return cg.new_Pvariable(condition_id, template_arg)
+
+
+@automation.register_condition("wifi.enabled", WiFiEnabledCondition, cv.Schema({}))
+async def wifi_enabled_to_code(config, condition_id, template_arg, args):
+    return cg.new_Pvariable(condition_id, template_arg)
+
+
+@automation.register_action("wifi.enable", WiFiEnableAction, cv.Schema({}))
+async def wifi_enable_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
+    return cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg)
+
+
+@automation.register_action("wifi.disable", WiFiDisableAction, cv.Schema({}))
+async def wifi_disable_to_code(config, action_id, template_arg, args):
+    return cg.new_Pvariable(action_id, template_arg)
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
index db19f9bcc0..ff621291f0 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.cpp
@@ -36,9 +36,18 @@ float WiFiComponent::get_setup_priority() const { return setup_priority::WIFI; }
 
 void WiFiComponent::setup() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "Setting up WiFi...");
+  this->wifi_pre_setup_();
+  if (this->enable_on_boot_) {
+    this->start();
+  } else {
+    this->state_ = WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED;
+  }
+}
+
+void WiFiComponent::start() {
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "Starting WiFi...");
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(TAG, "  Local MAC: %s", get_mac_address_pretty().c_str());
   this->last_connected_ = millis();
-  this->wifi_pre_setup_();
 
   uint32_t hash = this->has_sta() ? fnv1_hash(App.get_compilation_time()) : 88491487UL;
 
@@ -135,6 +144,8 @@ void WiFiComponent::loop() {
       case WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_OFF:
       case WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_AP:
         break;
+      case WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED:
+        return;
     }
 
     if (this->has_ap() && !this->ap_setup_) {
@@ -387,6 +398,28 @@ void WiFiComponent::print_connect_params_() {
 #endif
 }
 
+void WiFiComponent::enable() {
+  if (this->state_ != WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED)
+    return;
+
+  ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Enabling WIFI...");
+  this->error_from_callback_ = false;
+  this->state_ = WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_OFF;
+  this->start();
+}
+
+void WiFiComponent::disable() {
+  if (this->state_ == WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED)
+    return;
+
+  ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Disabling WIFI...");
+  this->state_ = WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED;
+  this->wifi_disconnect_();
+  this->wifi_mode_(false, false);
+}
+
+bool WiFiComponent::is_disabled() { return this->state_ == WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED; }
+
 void WiFiComponent::start_scanning() {
   this->action_started_ = millis();
   ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Starting scan...");
@@ -608,7 +641,7 @@ void WiFiComponent::retry_connect() {
 }
 
 bool WiFiComponent::can_proceed() {
-  if (!this->has_sta()) {
+  if (!this->has_sta() || this->state_ == WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED) {
     return true;
   }
   return this->is_connected();
diff --git a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
index d42be43b2d..d39b062990 100644
--- a/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/wifi/wifi_component.h
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ struct SavedWifiSettings {
 enum WiFiComponentState {
   /** Nothing has been initialized yet. Internal AP, if configured, is disabled at this point. */
   WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_OFF = 0,
+  /** WiFi is disabled. */
+  WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_DISABLED,
   /** WiFi is in cooldown mode because something went wrong, scanning will begin after a short period of time. */
   WIFI_COMPONENT_STATE_COOLDOWN,
   /** WiFi is in STA-only mode and currently scanning for APs. */
@@ -198,6 +200,9 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
   void set_ap(const WiFiAP &ap);
   WiFiAP get_ap() { return this->ap_; }
 
+  void enable();
+  void disable();
+  bool is_disabled();
   void start_scanning();
   void check_scanning_finished();
   void start_connecting(const WiFiAP &ap, bool two);
@@ -224,6 +229,7 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
   // (In most use cases you won't need these)
   /// Setup WiFi interface.
   void setup() override;
+  void start();
   void dump_config() override;
   /// WIFI setup_priority.
   float get_setup_priority() const override;
@@ -282,6 +288,8 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
 
   int8_t wifi_rssi();
 
+  void set_enable_on_boot(bool enable_on_boot) { this->enable_on_boot_ = enable_on_boot; }
+
  protected:
   static std::string format_mac_addr(const uint8_t mac[6]);
   void setup_ap_config_();
@@ -359,18 +367,30 @@ class WiFiComponent : public Component {
   bool btm_{false};
   bool rrm_{false};
 #endif
+  bool enable_on_boot_;
 };
 
 extern WiFiComponent *global_wifi_component;  // NOLINT(cppcoreguidelines-avoid-non-const-global-variables)
 
 template<typename... Ts> class WiFiConnectedCondition : public Condition<Ts...> {
  public:
-  bool check(Ts... x) override;
+  bool check(Ts... x) override { return global_wifi_component->is_connected(); }
 };
 
-template<typename... Ts> bool WiFiConnectedCondition<Ts...>::check(Ts... x) {
-  return global_wifi_component->is_connected();
-}
+template<typename... Ts> class WiFiEnabledCondition : public Condition<Ts...> {
+ public:
+  bool check(Ts... x) override { return !global_wifi_component->is_disabled(); }
+};
+
+template<typename... Ts> class WiFiEnableAction : public Action<Ts...> {
+ public:
+  void play(Ts... x) override { global_wifi_component->enable(); }
+};
+
+template<typename... Ts> class WiFiDisableAction : public Action<Ts...> {
+ public:
+  void play(Ts... x) override { global_wifi_component->disable(); }
+};
 
 }  // namespace wifi
 }  // namespace esphome