diff --git a/homeassistant/components/intellifire/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/intellifire/__init__.py
index 3f2f693b198cc7..a2e3fe6b425731 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/intellifire/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/intellifire/__init__.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import asyncio
 
+import aiohttp
 from intellifire4py import UnifiedFireplace
 from intellifire4py.cloud_interface import IntelliFireCloudInterface
 from intellifire4py.const import IntelliFireApiMode
@@ -153,6 +154,10 @@ async def async_setup_entry(hass: HomeAssistant, entry: IntellifireConfigEntry)
         raise ConfigEntryNotReady(
             "Initialization of fireplace timed out after 10 minutes"
         ) from err
+    except (aiohttp.ClientConnectionError, ConnectionError) as err:
+        raise ConfigEntryNotReady(
+            "Error communicating with fireplace during initialization"
+        ) from err
 
     # Construct coordinator
     data_update_coordinator = IntellifireDataUpdateCoordinator(hass, entry, fireplace)
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/intellifire/config_flow.py b/homeassistant/components/intellifire/config_flow.py
index 95b1ee0c1d8eea..403daf4ab5194a 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/intellifire/config_flow.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/intellifire/config_flow.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 from homeassistant.config_entries import (
     SOURCE_REAUTH,
+    ConfigEntryState,
     ConfigFlow,
     ConfigFlowResult,
     OptionsFlow,
@@ -287,10 +288,8 @@ async def async_step_init(
         errors: dict[str, str] = {}
 
         if user_input is not None:
-            # Validate connectivity for requested modes if runtime data is available
-            coordinator = self.config_entry.runtime_data
-            if coordinator is not None:
-                fireplace = coordinator.fireplace
+            if self.config_entry.state is ConfigEntryState.LOADED:
+                fireplace = self.config_entry.runtime_data.fireplace
 
                 # Refresh connectivity status before validating
                 await fireplace.async_validate_connectivity()
diff --git a/tests/components/intellifire/test_config_flow.py b/tests/components/intellifire/test_config_flow.py
index 20223d255e67da..2d10873748a218 100644
--- a/tests/components/intellifire/test_config_flow.py
+++ b/tests/components/intellifire/test_config_flow.py
@@ -272,6 +272,38 @@ async def test_options_flow(
     }
 
 
+async def test_options_flow_allows_submit_when_not_loaded(
+    hass: HomeAssistant,
+    mock_config_entry_current: MockConfigEntry,
+) -> None:
+    """Test options flow allows submit when runtime data is missing."""
+    config_entry = MockConfigEntry(
+        domain=DOMAIN,
+        version=mock_config_entry_current.version,
+        minor_version=mock_config_entry_current.minor_version,
+        data=dict(mock_config_entry_current.data),
+        options=dict(mock_config_entry_current.options),
+        unique_id=mock_config_entry_current.unique_id,
+        state=config_entries.ConfigEntryState.SETUP_ERROR,
+    )
+    config_entry.add_to_hass(hass)
+
+    result = await hass.config_entries.options.async_init(config_entry.entry_id)
+    assert result["type"] is FlowResultType.FORM
+    assert result["step_id"] == "init"
+
+    result = await hass.config_entries.options.async_configure(
+        result["flow_id"],
+        {CONF_READ_MODE: API_MODE_CLOUD, CONF_CONTROL_MODE: API_MODE_LOCAL},
+    )
+
+    assert result["type"] is FlowResultType.CREATE_ENTRY
+    assert result["data"] == {
+        CONF_READ_MODE: API_MODE_CLOUD,
+        CONF_CONTROL_MODE: API_MODE_LOCAL,
+    }
+
+
 async def test_options_flow_local_read_unavailable(
     hass: HomeAssistant,
     mock_config_entry_current: MockConfigEntry,
diff --git a/tests/components/intellifire/test_init.py b/tests/components/intellifire/test_init.py
index ac689a164b5bab..f71681c81e6fef 100644
--- a/tests/components/intellifire/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/intellifire/test_init.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 """Test the IntelliFire config flow."""
 
-from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, patch
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
+import aiohttp
 from intellifire4py.const import IntelliFireApiMode
+import pytest
 
 from homeassistant.components.intellifire import CONF_USER_ID
 from homeassistant.components.intellifire.const import (
@@ -159,22 +161,28 @@ async def test_init_with_no_username(hass: HomeAssistant, mock_apis_single_fp) -
     assert mock_config_entry.state is ConfigEntryState.SETUP_ERROR
 
 
-async def test_connectivity_bad(
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "setup_error",
+    [aiohttp.ClientConnectionError, ConnectionError, TimeoutError],
+)
+async def test_connectivity_error_during_setup_retries(
     hass: HomeAssistant,
-    mock_config_entry_current,
-    mock_apis_single_fp,
+    mock_config_entry_current: MockConfigEntry,
+    mock_apis_single_fp: tuple[AsyncMock, AsyncMock, MagicMock],
+    setup_error: type[Exception],
 ) -> None:
-    """Test a timeout error on the setup flow."""
+    """Test a connection error during setup retries the config entry."""
 
     with patch(
         "homeassistant.components.intellifire.UnifiedFireplace.build_fireplace_from_common",
         new_callable=AsyncMock,
-        side_effect=TimeoutError,
+        side_effect=setup_error,
     ):
         mock_config_entry_current.add_to_hass(hass)
         await hass.config_entries.async_setup(mock_config_entry_current.entry_id)
 
         await hass.async_block_till_done()
+        assert mock_config_entry_current.state is ConfigEntryState.SETUP_RETRY
         assert len(hass.states.async_all()) == 0