diff --git a/blag/blag.py b/blag/blag.py
index bf70e3d..f1c1b1a 100644
--- a/blag/blag.py
+++ b/blag/blag.py
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@
 
 """
 
+# remove when we don't support py38 anymore
+from __future__ import annotations
 import argparse
 import os
 import shutil
diff --git a/blag/devserver.py b/blag/devserver.py
index c49cdfe..1f2a8be 100644
--- a/blag/devserver.py
+++ b/blag/devserver.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ site if necessary.
 
 """
 
+# remove when we don't support py38 anymore
+from __future__ import annotations
 import os
 import logging
 import time
diff --git a/blag/markdown.py b/blag/markdown.py
index 640bb3b..b71df4b 100644
--- a/blag/markdown.py
+++ b/blag/markdown.py
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ processing.
 
 """
 
+# remove when we don't support py38 anymore
+from __future__ import annotations
 from datetime import datetime
 import logging
 from urllib.parse import urlsplit, urlunsplit
diff --git a/blag/quickstart.py b/blag/quickstart.py
index 7bffc2c..dc82380 100644
--- a/blag/quickstart.py
+++ b/blag/quickstart.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 
 """
 
+# remove when we don't support py38 anymore
+from __future__ import annotations
 import configparser
 import argparse