diff --git a/python/qemu/aqmp/protocol.py b/python/qemu/aqmp/protocol.py
index 5190b33b13df24fc2ca4aed934ed1f184a4888e1..c4fbe35a0e41c589059ec4fa37a816f4b76a3bd8 100644
--- a/python/qemu/aqmp/protocol.py
+++ b/python/qemu/aqmp/protocol.py
@@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
 
 
 T = TypeVar('T')
+_U = TypeVar('_U')
 _TaskFN = Callable[[], Awaitable[None]]  # aka ``async def func() -> None``
-_FutureT = TypeVar('_FutureT', bound=Optional['asyncio.Future[Any]'])
 
 
 class Runstate(Enum):
@@ -591,7 +591,8 @@ def _cleanup(self) -> None:
         """
         Fully reset this object to a clean state and return to `IDLE`.
         """
-        def _paranoid_task_erase(task: _FutureT) -> Optional[_FutureT]:
+        def _paranoid_task_erase(task: Optional['asyncio.Future[_U]']
+                                 ) -> Optional['asyncio.Future[_U]']:
             # Help to erase a task, ENSURING it is fully quiesced first.
             assert (task is None) or task.done()
             return None if (task and task.done()) else task