diff --git a/python/sdist/amici/swig.py b/python/sdist/amici/swig.py
index 81a030ba3d..fbc486c301 100644
--- a/python/sdist/amici/swig.py
+++ b/python/sdist/amici/swig.py
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ def visit_FunctionDef(self, node):
         self._annotation_from_docstring(node)
 
         # Has a return type annotation?
-        if node.returns:
+        if node.returns and isinstance(node.returns, ast.Constant):
             node.returns = self._new_annot(node.returns.value)
 
         # Has arguments?
@@ -112,8 +112,11 @@ def _annotation_from_docstring(self, node: ast.FunctionDef):
         """Add annotations based on docstring.
 
         If any argument or return type of the function is not annotated, but
-        the corresponding docstring contains a type hint, the type hint is used
-        as the annotation.
+        the corresponding docstring contains a type hint (``:rtype:`` or
+        ``:type:``), the type hint is used as the annotation.
+
+        Swig sometimes generates ``:type solver: :py:class:`Solver`` instead of
+        ``:type solver: Solver``. Those need special treatment.
         """
         docstring = ast.get_docstring(node, clean=False)
         if not docstring or "*Overload 1:*" in docstring:
@@ -124,11 +127,19 @@ def _annotation_from_docstring(self, node: ast.FunctionDef):
         lines_to_remove = set()
 
         for line_no, line in enumerate(docstring):
-            if match := re.match(r"\W*:rtype:\W*(.+)", line):
+            if (
+                match := re.match(
+                    r"\s*:rtype:\s*(?::py:class:`)?(\w+)`?\s+$", line
+                )
+            ) and not match.group(1).startswith(":"):
                 node.returns = ast.Constant(match.group(1))
                 lines_to_remove.add(line_no)
 
-            if match := re.match(r"\W*:type:\W*(\w+):\W*(.+)", line):
+            if (
+                match := re.match(
+                    r"\s*:type\s*(\w+):\W*(?::py:class:`)?(\w+)`?\s+$", line
+                )
+            ) and not match.group(1).startswith(":"):
                 for arg in node.args.args:
                     if arg.arg == match.group(1):
                         arg.annotation = ast.Constant(match.group(2))