diff --git a/launch/launch/actions/include_launch_description.py b/launch/launch/actions/include_launch_description.py
index e15ca5af4..74f73eaf3 100644
--- a/launch/launch/actions/include_launch_description.py
+++ b/launch/launch/actions/include_launch_description.py
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ def __init__(
     def parse(cls, entity: Entity, parser: Parser):
         """Return `IncludeLaunchDescription` action and kwargs for constructing it."""
         _, kwargs = super().parse(entity, parser)
-        file_path = parser.parse_substitution(entity.get_attr('file'))
+        file_attr = entity.bare_text or entity.get_attr('file')
+        file_path = parser.parse_substitution(file_attr)
+
         kwargs['launch_description_source'] = file_path
         args = entity.get_attr('arg', data_type=List[Entity], optional=True)
         if args is not None:
diff --git a/launch/launch/frontend/entity.py b/launch/launch/frontend/entity.py
index eedd3a2cc..693515045 100644
--- a/launch/launch/frontend/entity.py
+++ b/launch/launch/frontend/entity.py
@@ -116,3 +116,8 @@ def assert_entity_completely_parsed(self):
         function completed.
         """
         raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    @property
+    def bare_text(self) -> Optional[Text]:
+        """Return the bare text of this element if it is a bare text element, or None."""
+        raise NotImplementedError()
diff --git a/launch_xml/launch_xml/entity.py b/launch_xml/launch_xml/entity.py
index c3c165df0..d35023306 100644
--- a/launch_xml/launch_xml/entity.py
+++ b/launch_xml/launch_xml/entity.py
@@ -37,6 +37,13 @@ def __init__(
         parent: 'Entity' = None
     ) -> Text:
         """Construct the Entity."""
+        self.__bare_text = xml_element.text.strip() if xml_element.text else None
+        num_children = len(list(xml_element))
+        if self.__bare_text and num_children:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f'Cannot provide XML text alongside children. Found text "{self.__bare_text}" '
+                f'and {num_children} child(ren) in element {xml_element}')
+
         self.__xml_element = xml_element
         self.__parent = parent
         self.__read_attributes = set()
@@ -72,6 +79,10 @@ def assert_entity_completely_parsed(self):
                 f'{unparsed_attributes}'
             )
 
+    @property
+    def bare_text(self) -> Optional[Text]:
+        return self.__bare_text
+
     def get_attr(
         self,
         name: Text,
diff --git a/launch_xml/test/launch_xml/test_include.py b/launch_xml/test/launch_xml/test_include.py
index 0380f32c8..26c023ba7 100644
--- a/launch_xml/test/launch_xml/test_include.py
+++ b/launch_xml/test/launch_xml/test_include.py
@@ -46,5 +46,22 @@ def test_include():
     assert 0 == ls.run()
 
 
+def test_include_bare_text():
+    path = (Path(__file__).parent / 'executable.xml').as_posix()
+    xml_file = f"""
+        <launch>
+            <include>{path}</include>
+        </launch>
+    """
+    xml_file = textwrap.dedent(xml_file)
+    root_entity, parser = load_no_extensions(io.StringIO(xml_file))
+    ld = parser.parse_description(root_entity)
+    include = ld.entities[0]
+    assert isinstance(include, IncludeLaunchDescription)
+    assert isinstance(include.launch_description_source, AnyLaunchDescriptionSource)
+    # No need to run a second time, just testing parsing
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     test_include()
+    test_include_bare_text()
diff --git a/launch_yaml/launch_yaml/entity.py b/launch_yaml/launch_yaml/entity.py
index 93e262688..57aa09775 100644
--- a/launch_yaml/launch_yaml/entity.py
+++ b/launch_yaml/launch_yaml/entity.py
@@ -31,12 +31,13 @@ class Entity(BaseEntity):
 
     def __init__(
         self,
-        element: dict,
+        element: Union[dict, List, Text],
         type_name: Text = None,
         *,
         parent: 'Entity' = None
     ) -> Text:
         """Create an Entity."""
+        self.__bare_text = element if isinstance(element, str) else None
         self.__type_name = type_name
         self.__element = element
         self.__parent = parent
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ def children(self) -> List['Entity']:
                     'list element')
             self.__read_keys.add('children')
             children = self.__element['children']
+        elif isinstance(self.__element, str):
+            return [self]
         else:
             children = self.__element
         entities = []
@@ -83,6 +86,8 @@ def children(self) -> List['Entity']:
         return entities
 
     def assert_entity_completely_parsed(self):
+        if isinstance(self.__element, str):
+            return
         if isinstance(self.__element, list):
             if not self.__children_called:
                 raise ValueError(
@@ -95,6 +100,10 @@ def assert_entity_completely_parsed(self):
                 f'Unexpected key(s) found in `{self.__type_name}`: {unparsed_keys}'
             )
 
+    @property
+    def bare_text(self) -> Optional[Text]:
+        return self.__bare_text
+
     def get_attr(
         self,
         name: Text,
diff --git a/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/executable.yaml b/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/executable.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..730fd4546
--- /dev/null
+++ b/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/executable.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+---
+launch:
+  - executable:
+      cmd: ls -l -a -s
+      cwd: /
+      name: my_ls
+      shell: true
+      output: log
+      emulate_tty: true
+      sigkill_timeout: 4.0
+      sigterm_timeout: 7.0
+      launch-prefix: $(env LAUNCH_PREFIX '')
+      env:
+        - name: var
+          value: "1"
diff --git a/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/test_include.py b/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/test_include.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c7bc13314
--- /dev/null
+++ b/launch_yaml/test/launch_yaml/test_include.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# Copyright 2025 Polymath Robotics, Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+"""Test parsing a launch file inclusion."""
+
+import io
+from pathlib import Path
+import textwrap
+
+from launch import LaunchService
+from launch.actions import IncludeLaunchDescription
+from launch.launch_description_sources import AnyLaunchDescriptionSource
+
+from parser_no_extensions import load_no_extensions
+
+
+def test_include():
+    """Parse include yaml example."""
+    path = (Path(__file__).parent / 'executable.yaml').as_posix()
+    yaml_file = f"""\
+        launch:
+          - include:
+              file: {path}
+        """
+    yaml_file = textwrap.dedent(yaml_file)
+    root_entity, parser = load_no_extensions(io.StringIO(yaml_file))
+    ld = parser.parse_description(root_entity)
+    include = ld.entities[0]
+    assert isinstance(include, IncludeLaunchDescription)
+    assert isinstance(include.launch_description_source, AnyLaunchDescriptionSource)
+    ls = LaunchService(debug=True)
+    ls.include_launch_description(ld)
+    assert 0 == ls.run()
+
+
+def test_include_bare_text():
+    """Parse include yaml example."""
+    path = (Path(__file__).parent / 'executable.yaml').as_posix()
+    yaml_file = f"""
+        launch:
+          - include: {path}
+        """
+    yaml_file = textwrap.dedent(yaml_file)
+    root_entity, parser = load_no_extensions(io.StringIO(yaml_file))
+    ld = parser.parse_description(root_entity)
+    include = ld.entities[0]
+    assert isinstance(include, IncludeLaunchDescription)
+    assert isinstance(include.launch_description_source, AnyLaunchDescriptionSource)
+    # No need to run a second time, just testing parsing
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    test_include()
+    test_include_bare_text()