diff --git a/dascore/constants.py b/dascore/constants.py
index 5a56b905..1f5c9e64 100644
--- a/dascore/constants.py
+++ b/dascore/constants.py
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pandas as pd
 
-import dascore
+import dascore as dc
 
-PatchType = TypeVar("PatchType", bound="dascore.Patch")
+PatchType = TypeVar("PatchType", bound="dc.Patch")
 
-SpoolType = TypeVar("SpoolType", bound="dascore.BaseSpool")
+SpoolType = TypeVar("SpoolType", bound="dc.BaseSpool")
 
 
 @runtime_checkable
diff --git a/dascore/utils/patch.py b/dascore/utils/patch.py
index 86350239..59b6173c 100644
--- a/dascore/utils/patch.py
+++ b/dascore/utils/patch.py
@@ -239,9 +239,9 @@ def patch_function(
       machinery multiple times from within another patch function.
 
     - If using `PatchType` or `SpoolType` type variables from the
-      [constants module](`dascore.constants`), you may need to import
-      dascore (not import dascore as dc) in the same file the patch function
-      is defined.
+      [constants module](`dascore.constants`), make sure dascore is imported
+      as dc at the top of the file where the patch function is defined so
+      the forward refs can be resolved properly for type checking.
     """
 
     def _wrapper(func):
diff --git a/scripts/_render_api.py b/scripts/_render_api.py
index 9617606f..20299e19 100644
--- a/scripts/_render_api.py
+++ b/scripts/_render_api.py
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ def unpact_annotation(obj, data_dict, address_dict) -> str:
         # just assume the bound string is resolvable
         key = str(obj).split("('")[-1].replace("')", "")
         name = key.split(".")[-1]
+        # dc. is the same as dascore.
+        if key.startswith("dc."):
+            key = f"dascore.{key[3:]}"
         return f"[{name}](`{key}`)"
     # Array-like thing from numpy #TODO improve this
     elif "numpy.typing" in str_rep:
diff --git a/tests/test_utils/test_patch_utils.py b/tests/test_utils/test_patch_utils.py
index fd2e286f..2da8bbd2 100644
--- a/tests/test_utils/test_patch_utils.py
+++ b/tests/test_utils/test_patch_utils.py
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@
 import pytest
 from pydantic import Field
 
-import dascore  # noqa needed for PatchType
 import dascore as dc
 from dascore import patch_function
 from dascore.constants import PatchType