diff --git a/esphome/components/dfu/__init__.py b/esphome/components/dfu/__init__.py
index b5d93bd093..aef7d8d421 100644
--- a/esphome/components/dfu/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/dfu/__init__.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
 from esphome.core import CORE
 from esphome.components.zephyr import zephyr_add_prj_conf
 import esphome.final_validate as fv
+from esphome.components.nrf52.const import BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT
 
 dfu_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace("dfu")
 DeviceFirmwareUpdate = dfu_ns.class_("DeviceFirmwareUpdate", cg.Component)
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ def _validate_mcumgr(config):
         fconf = fv.full_config.get()
         try:
             bootloader = fconf.get_config_for_path(["nrf52", "bootloader"])
-            if bootloader != "adafruit":
+            if bootloader != BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT:
                 raise cv.Invalid(f"'{bootloader}' bootloader does not support DFU")
         except KeyError:
             pass
diff --git a/esphome/components/nrf52/__init__.py b/esphome/components/nrf52/__init__.py
index d92edf07c8..9d75e780b3 100644
--- a/esphome/components/nrf52/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/nrf52/__init__.py
@@ -26,11 +26,11 @@ from esphome.components.zephyr.const import (
     ZEPHYR_VARIANT_GENERIC,
     ZEPHYR_VARIANT_NRF_SDK,
     KEY_ZEPHYR,
+    KEY_BOOTLOADER,
+    BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT,
 )
 from .boards_zephyr import BOARDS_ZEPHYR
 from .const import (
-    KEY_BOOTLOADER,
-    BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT,
     BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT,
 )
 
@@ -130,8 +130,8 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
             cv.Optional(KEY_BOOTLOADER): cv.one_of(*BOOTLOADERS, lower=True),
         }
     ),
-    set_core_data,
     _detect_bootloader,
+    set_core_data,
 )
 
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/nrf52/boards_zephyr.py b/esphome/components/nrf52/boards_zephyr.py
index 1afc3cf3f2..19c5c30f15 100644
--- a/esphome/components/nrf52/boards_zephyr.py
+++ b/esphome/components/nrf52/boards_zephyr.py
@@ -1,7 +1,5 @@
-from .const import (
-    BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT,
-    KEY_BOOTLOADER,
-)
+from .const import BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT
+from esphome.components.zephyr.const import KEY_BOOTLOADER
 
 BOARDS_ZEPHYR = {
     "adafruit_itsybitsy_nrf52840": {KEY_BOOTLOADER: BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT},
diff --git a/esphome/components/nrf52/const.py b/esphome/components/nrf52/const.py
index 952a394739..0497c12196 100644
--- a/esphome/components/nrf52/const.py
+++ b/esphome/components/nrf52/const.py
@@ -1,3 +1 @@
-KEY_BOOTLOADER = "bootloader"
-BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT = "mcuboot"
 BOOTLOADER_ADAFRUIT = "adafruit"
diff --git a/esphome/components/ota/__init__.py b/esphome/components/ota/__init__.py
index 995f31256c..53439d9ac0 100644
--- a/esphome/components/ota/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/ota/__init__.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from esphome.const import (
 )
 from esphome.core import CORE, coroutine_with_priority
 import esphome.final_validate as fv
+from esphome.components.zephyr.const import BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@esphome/core"]
 
@@ -120,7 +121,7 @@ def _validate_mcumgr(config):
         fconf = fv.full_config.get()
         try:
             bootloader = fconf.get_config_for_path(["nrf52", "bootloader"])
-            if bootloader != "mcuboot":
+            if bootloader != BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT:
                 raise cv.Invalid(f"'{bootloader}' bootloader does not support OTA")
         except KeyError:
             pass
diff --git a/esphome/components/zephyr/__init__.py b/esphome/components/zephyr/__init__.py
index 71f85fb8bd..394db4bdde 100644
--- a/esphome/components/zephyr/__init__.py
+++ b/esphome/components/zephyr/__init__.py
@@ -15,18 +15,22 @@ from .const import (
     KEY_PRJ_CONF,
     KEY_OVERLAY,
     zephyr_ns,
+    BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT,
 )
 
 
 AUTO_LOAD = ["preferences"]
 KEY_BOARD = "board"
 
+KEY_BOOTLOADER = "bootloader"
+
 
 def zephyr_set_core_data(config):
     CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR] = {}
     CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_BOARD] = config[CONF_BOARD]
     CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_PRJ_CONF] = {}
     CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_OVERLAY] = ""
+    CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_BOOTLOADER] = config[KEY_BOOTLOADER]
     return config
 
 
@@ -131,21 +135,22 @@ def zephyr_copy_files():
         CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_OVERLAY],
     )
 
-    fake_board_manifest = """
+    if CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_BOOTLOADER] == BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT:
+        fake_board_manifest = """
 {
-  "frameworks": [
+"frameworks": [
     "zephyr"
-  ],
-  "name": "esphome nrf52",
-  "upload": {
+],
+"name": "esphome nrf52",
+"upload": {
     "maximum_ram_size": 248832,
     "maximum_size": 815104
-  },
-  "url": "https://esphome.io/",
-  "vendor": "esphome"
+},
+"url": "https://esphome.io/",
+"vendor": "esphome"
 }
 """
-    write_file_if_changed(
-        CORE.relative_build_path(f"boards/{CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_BOARD]}.json"),
-        fake_board_manifest,
-    )
+        write_file_if_changed(
+            CORE.relative_build_path(f"boards/{CORE.data[KEY_ZEPHYR][KEY_BOARD]}.json"),
+            fake_board_manifest,
+        )
diff --git a/esphome/components/zephyr/const.py b/esphome/components/zephyr/const.py
index acbf83d4f3..de5f641108 100644
--- a/esphome/components/zephyr/const.py
+++ b/esphome/components/zephyr/const.py
@@ -5,5 +5,7 @@ ZEPHYR_VARIANT_NRF_SDK = "nrf-sdk"
 KEY_ZEPHYR = "zephyr"
 KEY_PRJ_CONF = "prj_conf"
 KEY_OVERLAY = "overlay"
+KEY_BOOTLOADER = "bootloader"
+BOOTLOADER_MCUBOOT = "mcuboot"
 
 zephyr_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace("zephyr")