diff --git a/backend/app/utils/phash.py b/backend/app/utils/phash.py
index f2d2ba0..b92f991 100644
--- a/backend/app/utils/phash.py
+++ b/backend/app/utils/phash.py
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def fingerprint(pil_image):
         return None
 
 
-def fingerprint_path(path) -> "Image.Image | None":
+def fingerprint_path(path) -> Image.Image | None:
     """`fingerprint` for a file on disk. None if it cannot be read — which
     the gate treats as "not a duplicate"."""
     try: