diff --git a/homeassistant/components/google_assistant/helpers.py b/homeassistant/components/google_assistant/helpers.py
index 72d9c7bb089ff..d39ea97537a26 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/google_assistant/helpers.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/google_assistant/helpers.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ async def sync_google(_):
             """Sync entities to Google."""
             await self.async_sync_entities_all()
 
-        self._on_deinitialize.append(start.async_at_start(self.hass, sync_google))
+        self._on_deinitialize.append(start.async_at_started(self.hass, sync_google))
 
     @callback
     def async_deinitialize(self) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/components/cloud/test_google_config.py b/tests/components/cloud/test_google_config.py
index 91a7b2169c358..3083c24a6137e 100644
--- a/tests/components/cloud/test_google_config.py
+++ b/tests/components/cloud/test_google_config.py
@@ -372,6 +372,10 @@ async def test_sync_google_on_home_assistant_start(
 
         hass.bus.async_fire(EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_START)
         await hass.async_block_till_done()
+        assert len(mock_sync.mock_calls) == 0
+
+        hass.bus.async_fire(EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STARTED)
+        await hass.async_block_till_done()
         assert len(mock_sync.mock_calls) == 1
 
 
diff --git a/tests/components/google_assistant/test_http.py b/tests/components/google_assistant/test_http.py
index 6d0888dcf38a1..f4804ea3be94a 100644
--- a/tests/components/google_assistant/test_http.py
+++ b/tests/components/google_assistant/test_http.py
@@ -28,8 +28,12 @@
     _get_homegraph_token,
     async_get_users,
 )
-from homeassistant.const import CLOUD_NEVER_EXPOSED_ENTITIES
-from homeassistant.core import HomeAssistant, State
+from homeassistant.const import (
+    CLOUD_NEVER_EXPOSED_ENTITIES,
+    EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_START,
+    EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STARTED,
+)
+from homeassistant.core import CoreState, HomeAssistant, State
 from homeassistant.setup import async_setup_component
 from homeassistant.util import dt as dt_util
 
@@ -78,6 +82,25 @@
 }
 
 
+async def test_sync_google_does_not_block_startup(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
+    """Test that Google entity sync runs after startup, not during."""
+    hass.set_state(CoreState.not_running)
+    config = GoogleConfig(hass, DUMMY_CONFIG)
+
+    with patch.object(config, "async_sync_entities_all") as mock_sync:
+        await config.async_initialize()
+
+        # Fire EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_START - sync should NOT run yet
+        hass.bus.async_fire(EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_START)
+        await hass.async_block_till_done()
+        mock_sync.assert_not_called()
+
+        # Fire EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STARTED - now sync should run
+        hass.bus.async_fire(EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STARTED)
+        await hass.async_block_till_done()
+        mock_sync.assert_called_once()
+
+
 async def test_get_jwt(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
     """Test signing of key."""