diff --git a/esphome/components/sensor/filter.cpp b/esphome/components/sensor/filter.cpp
index 7afc43b8aa..e59625a267 100644
--- a/esphome/components/sensor/filter.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/sensor/filter.cpp
@@ -222,15 +222,6 @@ MultiplyFilter::MultiplyFilter(TemplatableValue<float> multiplier) : multiplier_
 
 optional<float> MultiplyFilter::new_value(float value) { return value * this->multiplier_.value(); }
 
-bool throttle_check_and_update(uint32_t &last_input, uint32_t min_time_between_inputs) {
-  const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
-  if (last_input == 0 || now - last_input >= min_time_between_inputs) {
-    last_input = now;
-    return true;
-  }
-  return false;
-}
-
 // ValueListFilter helper (non-template, shared by all ValueListFilter<N> instantiations)
 bool value_list_matches_any(Sensor *parent, float sensor_value, const TemplatableValue<float> *values, size_t count) {
   int8_t accuracy = parent->get_accuracy_decimals();
@@ -266,6 +257,17 @@ optional<float> ThrottleFilter::new_value(float value) {
   return {};
 }
 
+// ThrottleWithPriorityFilter helper (non-template, keeps App access in .cpp)
+optional<float> throttle_with_priority_new_value(Sensor *parent, float value, const TemplatableValue<float> *values,
+                                                 size_t count, uint32_t &last_input, uint32_t min_time_between_inputs) {
+  const uint32_t now = App.get_loop_component_start_time();
+  if (last_input == 0 || now - last_input >= min_time_between_inputs ||
+      value_list_matches_any(parent, value, values, count)) {
+    last_input = now;
+    return value;
+  }
+  return {};
+}
 // DeltaFilter
 DeltaFilter::DeltaFilter(float min_a0, float min_a1, float max_a0, float max_a1)
     : min_a0_(min_a0), min_a1_(min_a1), max_a0_(max_a0), max_a1_(max_a1) {}
diff --git a/esphome/components/sensor/filter.h b/esphome/components/sensor/filter.h
index 9e97ad432a..cb4abd154a 100644
--- a/esphome/components/sensor/filter.h
+++ b/esphome/components/sensor/filter.h
@@ -332,10 +332,6 @@ class MultiplyFilter : public Filter {
 /// Non-template helper for value matching (implementation in filter.cpp)
 bool value_list_matches_any(Sensor *parent, float sensor_value, const TemplatableValue<float> *values, size_t count);
 
-/// Returns true if throttle should allow the value through (time expired or first input).
-/// Updates last_input in-place. Implementation in filter.cpp (accesses App without circular include).
-bool throttle_check_and_update(uint32_t &last_input, uint32_t min_time_between_inputs);
-
 /** Base class for filters that compare sensor values against a fixed list of configured values.
  *
  * Templated on N (the number of values) so the list is stored inline in a std::array,
@@ -382,6 +378,10 @@ class ThrottleFilter : public Filter {
   uint32_t min_time_between_inputs_;
 };
 
+/// Non-template helper for ThrottleWithPriorityFilter (implementation in filter.cpp)
+optional<float> throttle_with_priority_new_value(Sensor *parent, float value, const TemplatableValue<float> *values,
+                                                 size_t count, uint32_t &last_input, uint32_t min_time_between_inputs);
+
 /// Same as 'throttle' but will immediately publish values contained in `value_to_prioritize`.
 template<size_t N> class ThrottleWithPriorityFilter : public ValueListFilter<N> {
  public:
@@ -390,11 +390,8 @@ template<size_t N> class ThrottleWithPriorityFilter : public ValueListFilter<N>
       : ValueListFilter<N>(prioritized_values), min_time_between_inputs_(min_time_between_inputs) {}
 
   optional<float> new_value(float value) override {
-    if (throttle_check_and_update(this->last_input_, this->min_time_between_inputs_) ||
-        this->value_matches_any_(value)) {
-      return value;
-    }
-    return {};
+    return throttle_with_priority_new_value(this->parent_, value, this->values_.data(), N, this->last_input_,
+                                            this->min_time_between_inputs_);
   }
 
  protected:
diff --git a/esphome/core/helpers.h b/esphome/core/helpers.h
index 4e2049c4c6..4aabb607dd 100644
--- a/esphome/core/helpers.h
+++ b/esphome/core/helpers.h
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ template<typename T, size_t MAX_CAPACITY = std::numeric_limits<uint16_t>::max()>
 
 /// Initialize a std::array from an initializer_list. Uses memcpy for trivially copyable types (optimal codegen),
 /// falls back to element-wise copy for non-trivially copyable types (e.g. TemplatableValue).
-/// N is set by code generation; ESPHOME_DEBUG_ASSERT catches mismatches in debug/integration tests.
+/// N is set by code generation; assert catches mismatches in debug/integration tests.
 template<typename T, size_t N> inline void init_array_from(std::array<T, N> &dest, std::initializer_list<T> src) {
 #ifdef ESPHOME_DEBUG
   assert(src.size() == N);