diff --git a/esphome/components/pn532_spi/pn532_spi.cpp b/esphome/components/pn532_spi/pn532_spi.cpp
index 118421c47..553c6d26a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/pn532_spi/pn532_spi.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/pn532_spi/pn532_spi.cpp
@@ -88,9 +88,10 @@ bool PN532Spi::read_response(uint8_t command, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) {
 #endif
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Header data: %s", format_hex_pretty_to(hex_buf, sizeof(hex_buf), header.data(), header.size()));
 
-  if (header[0] != 0x00 && header[1] != 0x00 && header[2] != 0xFF) {
+  if (header[0] != 0x00 || header[1] != 0x00 || header[2] != 0xFF) {
     // invalid packet
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "read data invalid preamble!");
+    this->disable();
     return false;
   }
 
@@ -100,15 +101,20 @@ bool PN532Spi::read_response(uint8_t command, std::vector<uint8_t> &data) {
 
   if (!valid_header) {
     ESP_LOGV(TAG, "read data invalid header!");
+    this->disable();
     return false;
   }
 
-  // full length of message, including command response
+  // full length of message, including command response (minimum 2: TFI + command response)
   uint8_t full_len = header[3];
+  if (full_len < 2) {
+    ESP_LOGV(TAG, "read data has no payload");
+    this->disable();
+    return false;
+  }
+
   // length of data, excluding command response
   uint8_t len = full_len - 1;
-  if (full_len == 0)
-    len = 0;
 
   ESP_LOGV(TAG, "Reading response of length %d", len);