diff --git a/homeassistant/components/sql/sensor.py b/homeassistant/components/sql/sensor.py
index c4e6db4c623..063627f9f43 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/sql/sensor.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/sql/sensor.py
@@ -184,10 +184,14 @@ async def async_setup_sensor(
     async_add_entities: AddEntitiesCallback,
 ) -> None:
     """Set up the SQL sensor."""
-    instance = get_instance(hass)
+    try:
+        instance = get_instance(hass)
+    except KeyError:  # No recorder loaded
+        uses_recorder_db = False
+    else:
+        uses_recorder_db = db_url == instance.db_url
     sessmaker: scoped_session | None
     sql_data = _async_get_or_init_domain_data(hass)
-    uses_recorder_db = db_url == instance.db_url
     use_database_executor = False
     if uses_recorder_db and instance.dialect_name == SupportedDialect.SQLITE:
         use_database_executor = True
diff --git a/tests/components/sql/test_sensor.py b/tests/components/sql/test_sensor.py
index 6c2686cb6fe..dd0bd06c008 100644
--- a/tests/components/sql/test_sensor.py
+++ b/tests/components/sql/test_sensor.py
@@ -635,3 +635,13 @@ async def test_query_recover_from_rollback(
     state = hass.states.get("sensor.select_value_sql_query")
     assert state.state == "5"
     assert state.attributes.get("value") == 5
+
+
+async def test_setup_without_recorder(hass: HomeAssistant) -> None:
+    """Test the SQL sensor without recorder."""
+
+    assert await async_setup_component(hass, DOMAIN, YAML_CONFIG)
+    await hass.async_block_till_done()
+
+    state = hass.states.get("sensor.get_value")
+    assert state.state == "5"