diff --git a/charger/homeassistant.go b/charger/homeassistant.go
index e81e80bf4..b75f4f2aa 100644
--- a/charger/homeassistant.go
+++ b/charger/homeassistant.go
@@ -79,26 +79,18 @@ func NewHomeAssistantFromConfig(other map[string]any) (api.Charger, error) {
 		energy = func() (float64, error) { return conn.GetFloatState(cc.Energy) }
 	}
 
-	// Set up phase currents (optional)
-	if len(cc.Currents) > 0 {
-		res, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Currents)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("currents: %w", err)
-		}
-		currents = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) {
-			return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(res)
-		}
+	// phase currents (optional)
+	if phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Currents); len(phases) > 0 {
+		currents = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) { return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(phases) }
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("currents: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Set up phase voltages (optional)
-	if len(cc.Voltages) > 0 {
-		res, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Voltages)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("voltages: %w", err)
-		}
-		voltages = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) {
-			return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(res)
-		}
+	// phase voltages (optional)
+	if phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Voltages); len(phases) > 0 {
+		voltages = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) { return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(phases) }
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("voltages: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	return decorateHomeAssistant(c, power, energy, currents, voltages), nil
diff --git a/meter/homeassistant.go b/meter/homeassistant.go
index 6dc31dda0..21876f16a 100644
--- a/meter/homeassistant.go
+++ b/meter/homeassistant.go
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ func init() {
 
 // NewHomeAssistantFromConfig creates a HomeAssistant meter from generic config
 func NewHomeAssistantFromConfig(other map[string]any) (api.Meter, error) {
-	cc := struct {
+	var cc struct {
 		URI      string
 		Token    string
 		Power    string
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func NewHomeAssistantFromConfig(other map[string]any) (api.Meter, error) {
 		Currents []string
 		Voltages []string
 		Soc      string
-	}{}
+	}
 
 	if err := util.DecodeOther(other, &cc); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -61,21 +61,18 @@ func NewHomeAssistantFromConfig(other map[string]any) (api.Meter, error) {
 		energy = func() (float64, error) { return conn.GetFloatState(cc.Energy) }
 	}
 
-	if len(cc.Currents) > 0 {
-		phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Currents)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("currents: %w", err)
-		}
+	// phase currents (optional)
+	if phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Currents); len(phases) > 0 {
 		currents = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) { return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(phases) }
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("currents: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Set up phase voltages (optional)
-	if len(cc.Voltages) > 0 {
-		phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Voltages)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("voltages: %w", err)
-		}
+	// phase voltages (optional)
+	if phases, err := homeassistant.ValidatePhaseEntities(cc.Voltages); len(phases) > 0 {
 		voltages = func() (float64, float64, float64, error) { return conn.GetPhaseFloatStates(phases) }
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("voltages: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if cc.Soc != "" {
diff --git a/templates/definition/meter/homeassistant.yaml b/templates/definition/meter/homeassistant.yaml
index 6e21058de..76f9e1b9e 100644
--- a/templates/definition/meter/homeassistant.yaml
+++ b/templates/definition/meter/homeassistant.yaml
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ template: homeassistant
 products:
   - brand: Home Assistant
     description:
-      de: Home Assistant Sensor
-      en: Home Assistant Sensor
+      de: Meter
+      en: Meter
 group: generic
 requirements:
   description:
diff --git a/templates/definition/vehicle/homeassistant.yaml b/templates/definition/vehicle/homeassistant.yaml
index 5e92f46d4..d324b3bd8 100644
--- a/templates/definition/vehicle/homeassistant.yaml
+++ b/templates/definition/vehicle/homeassistant.yaml
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 template: homeassistant
 products:
-  - description:
-      de: Home Assistant Fahrzeug
-      en: Home Assistant Vehicle
+  - brand: Home Assistant
+    description:
+      de: Fahrzeug
+      en: Vehicle
 group: generic
 requirements:
   description:
diff --git a/util/homeassistant/connection.go b/util/homeassistant/connection.go
index b342316d8..75b474a86 100644
--- a/util/homeassistant/connection.go
+++ b/util/homeassistant/connection.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/request"
 	"github.com/evcc-io/evcc/util/transport"
+	"github.com/samber/lo"
 )
 
 // Connection represents a Home Assistant API connection
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ func NewConnection(log *util.Logger, uri, token string) (*Connection, error) {
 
 	c := &Connection{
 		Helper: request.NewHelper(log.Redact(token)),
-		uri:    strings.TrimSuffix(uri, "/"),
+		uri:    util.DefaultScheme(strings.TrimSuffix(uri, "/"), "http"),
 	}
 
 	// Set up authentication headers
@@ -230,7 +231,11 @@ func (c *Connection) GetPhaseFloatStates(entities []string) (float64, float64, f
 }
 
 // ValidatePhaseEntities validates that phase entity arrays contain 1 or 3 entities
-func ValidatePhaseEntities(entities []string) ([]string, error) {
+func ValidatePhaseEntities(phases []string) ([]string, error) {
+	entities := lo.FilterMap(phases, func(s string, _ int) (string, bool) {
+		t := strings.TrimSpace(s)
+		return t, t != ""
+	})
 	switch len(entities) {
 	case 0:
 		return nil, nil