!include files and sensors: what is the correct syntax?

I have a few different but common devices to monitor 12v battery power so I created a .common_voltsensor_12v.yaml file and per-device file with substitutions for each device. No problems, all works well. The .common file has a sensor: section for ADC.

One of the devices also has a bme280 so that file alone needs a second sensor that isn’t common to the rest. I added a sensor: section for the bme280 under the substitutions: section of the device file and it loads and works for the bme280, but…

It doesn’t load the sensor: section in the .common file.

I tried removing the sensor: heading in the device file and just left the - platform: bme280 section but I immediately get syntax errors.

What is the correct way to merge a sensor in a device file with sensors in an !include file?