diff --git a/instructor/dsl/maybe.py b/instructor/dsl/maybe.py
index f3a80a7..5337643 100644
--- a/instructor/dsl/maybe.py
+++ b/instructor/dsl/maybe.py
@@ -46,4 +46,4 @@ def Maybe(model: Type[BaseModel]) -> MaybeBase:
 
     MaybeModel = create_model(f"Maybe{model.__name__}", __base__=MaybeBase, **fields)
 
-    return MaybeModel
+    return MaybeModel  # type: ignore
diff --git a/instructor/function_calls.py b/instructor/function_calls.py
index 6e4416e..99f57e7 100644
--- a/instructor/function_calls.py
+++ b/instructor/function_calls.py
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ class openai_function:
     def __init__(self, func: Callable) -> None:
         self.func = func
         self.validate_func = validate_arguments(func)
-        self.docstring = parse(self.func.__doc__)
+        self.docstring = parse(self.func.__doc__ or "")
 
         parameters = self.validate_func.model.model_json_schema()
         parameters["properties"] = {
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class OpenAISchema(BaseModel):
             model_json_schema (dict): A dictionary in the format of OpenAI's schema as jsonschema
         """
         schema = cls.model_json_schema()
-        docstring = parse(cls.__doc__)
+        docstring = parse(cls.__doc__ or "")
         parameters = {
             k: v for k, v in schema.items() if k not in ("title", "description")
         }
diff --git a/instructor/patch.py b/instructor/patch.py
index 2cb5b55..8e8d74b 100644
--- a/instructor/patch.py
+++ b/instructor/patch.py
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ async def retry_async(func, response_model, args, kwargs, max_retries):
             response = await func(*args, **kwargs)
             return process_response(response, response_model), None
         except (ValidationError, JSONDecodeError) as e:
-            kwargs["messages"].append(dict(**response.choices[0].message))
+            kwargs["messages"].append(dict(**response.choices[0].message))  # type: ignore
             kwargs["messages"].append(
                 {
                     "role": "user",
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ def retry_sync(func, response_model, args, kwargs, max_retries):
             response = func(*args, **kwargs)
             return process_response(response, response_model), None
         except (ValidationError, JSONDecodeError) as e:
-            kwargs["messages"].append(dict(**response.choices[0].message))
+            kwargs["messages"].append(dict(**response.choices[0].message))  # type: ignore
             kwargs["messages"].append(
                 {
                     "role": "user",
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ def wrap_chatcompletion(func: Callable) -> Callable:
     async def new_chatcompletion_async(
         response_model=None, *args, max_retries=0, **kwargs
     ):
-        response_model, new_kwargs = handle_response_model(response_model, kwargs)
+        response_model, new_kwargs = handle_response_model(response_model, kwargs)  # type: ignore
         response, error = await retry_async(
             func=func,
             response_model=response_model,
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def wrap_chatcompletion(func: Callable) -> Callable:
 
     @wraps(func)
     def new_chatcompletion_sync(response_model=None, *args, max_retries=0, **kwargs):
-        response_model, new_kwargs = handle_response_model(response_model, kwargs)
+        response_model, new_kwargs = handle_response_model(response_model, kwargs)  # type: ignore
         response, error = retry_sync(
             func=func,
             response_model=response_model,