diff --git a/homeassistant/components/esphome/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/esphome/__init__.py
index b7c2eb8352e8..2ab5451e6d96 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/esphome/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/esphome/__init__.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from .manager import (
     DEVICE_CONFLICT_ISSUE_FORMAT,
     ESPHomeManager,
     async_create_api_client,
+    async_get_manufacturer_model,
     cleanup_instance,
 )
 from .websocket_api import async_setup as async_setup_websocket_api
@@ -52,14 +53,16 @@ def _async_scan_serial_ports(
         if device_info is None:
             continue
 
+        manufacturer, model = async_get_manufacturer_model(device_info)
+
         ports.extend(
             SerialDevice(
                 device=str(serial_proxy.build_url(entry.entry_id, proxy.name)),
                 serial_number=(
                     device_info.mac_address.replace(":", "") + "-" + slugify(proxy.name)
                 ),
-                manufacturer=device_info.manufacturer,
-                description=f"{device_info.model} ({proxy.name})",
+                manufacturer=manufacturer,
+                description=f"{model} ({proxy.name})",
             )
             for proxy in device_info.serial_proxies
         )
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/esphome/manager.py b/homeassistant/components/esphome/manager.py
index ba51d7e693d3..2ea140594100 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/esphome/manager.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/esphome/manager.py
@@ -1190,6 +1190,15 @@ class ESPHomeManager:
                 )
 
 
+@callback
+def async_get_manufacturer_model(device_info: EsphomeDeviceInfo) -> tuple[str, str]:
+    """Return the manufacturer and model to use for a device."""
+    if device_info.project_name:
+        project_name = device_info.project_name.split(".")
+        return project_name[0], project_name[1]
+    return device_info.manufacturer or "espressif", device_info.model
+
+
 @callback
 def _async_setup_device_registry(
     hass: HomeAssistant, entry: ESPHomeConfigEntry, entry_data: RuntimeEntryData
@@ -1236,14 +1245,8 @@ def _async_setup_device_registry(
     ):
         configuration_url = f"homeassistant://app/{dashboard.addon_slug}"
 
-    manufacturer = "espressif"
-    if device_info.manufacturer:
-        manufacturer = device_info.manufacturer
-    model = device_info.model
+    manufacturer, model = async_get_manufacturer_model(device_info)
     if device_info.project_name:
-        project_name = device_info.project_name.split(".")
-        manufacturer = project_name[0]
-        model = project_name[1]
         sw_version = (
             f"{device_info.project_version} (ESPHome {device_info.esphome_version})"
         )
diff --git a/tests/components/esphome/test_serial_proxy.py b/tests/components/esphome/test_serial_proxy.py
index b774a49f877c..2bb28fdf9540 100644
--- a/tests/components/esphome/test_serial_proxy.py
+++ b/tests/components/esphome/test_serial_proxy.py
@@ -134,6 +134,65 @@ async def test_scan_serial_ports_happy_path(
     ]
 
 
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("mock_zeroconf")
+async def test_scan_serial_ports_uses_project_info(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_client: APIClient,
+    mock_esphome_device: MockESPHomeDeviceType,
+) -> None:
+    """Project information takes precedence over manufacturer and model."""
+    device = await mock_esphome_device(
+        mock_client=mock_client,
+        device_info={
+            "mac_address": "AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF",
+            "manufacturer": "Espressif",
+            "model": "ESP32",
+            "project_name": "vendor.gadget",
+            "serial_proxies": [
+                SerialProxyInfo(name="uart0", port_type=SerialProxyPortType.TTL)
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+
+    assert _async_scan_serial_ports(hass) == [
+        SerialDevice(
+            device=str(serial_proxy.build_url(device.entry.entry_id, "uart0")),
+            serial_number="AABBCCDDEEFF-uart0",
+            manufacturer="vendor",
+            description="gadget (uart0)",
+        )
+    ]
+
+
+@pytest.mark.usefixtures("mock_zeroconf")
+async def test_scan_serial_ports_defaults_manufacturer(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_client: APIClient,
+    mock_esphome_device: MockESPHomeDeviceType,
+) -> None:
+    """A device without a manufacturer falls back to espressif."""
+    device = await mock_esphome_device(
+        mock_client=mock_client,
+        device_info={
+            "mac_address": "AA:BB:CC:DD:EE:FF",
+            "manufacturer": "",
+            "model": "ESP32",
+            "serial_proxies": [
+                SerialProxyInfo(name="uart0", port_type=SerialProxyPortType.TTL)
+            ],
+        },
+    )
+
+    assert _async_scan_serial_ports(hass) == [
+        SerialDevice(
+            device=str(serial_proxy.build_url(device.entry.entry_id, "uart0")),
+            serial_number="AABBCCDDEEFF-uart0",
+            manufacturer="espressif",
+            description="ESP32 (uart0)",
+        )
+    ]
+
+
 @pytest.mark.usefixtures("mock_zeroconf")
 async def test_scan_serial_ports_skips_unavailable(
     hass: HomeAssistant,