diff --git a/solara/components/datatable.py b/solara/components/datatable.py
index 0494785d4..66c7161c9 100644
--- a/solara/components/datatable.py
+++ b/solara/components/datatable.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 
 def _ensure_dict(d):
-    if dataclasses.is_dataclass(d):
+    if dataclasses.is_dataclass(d) and not isinstance(d, type):  # is_dataclass also returns True for dataclass type, rather than instance
         return dataclasses.asdict(d)
     return d
 
diff --git a/solara/server/shell.py b/solara/server/shell.py
index dfabe31d0..19f95ccd1 100644
--- a/solara/server/shell.py
+++ b/solara/server/shell.py
@@ -58,9 +58,12 @@ def publish(
         self,
         data,
         metadata=None,
+        source=None,
+        *,  # Enforce keyword-only arguments to match DisplayPublisher.publish
         transient=None,
         update=False,
-    ):
+        **kwargs,  # Make sure we're compatible with DisplayPublisher.publish
+    ) -> None:
         """Publish a display-data message
 
         Parameters
diff --git a/solara/tasks.py b/solara/tasks.py
index 03bb1df3b..bc2df7365 100644
--- a/solara/tasks.py
+++ b/solara/tasks.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import sys
 import abc
 import asyncio
 import dataclasses
@@ -27,6 +28,11 @@
 
 from .toestand import Ref as ref
 
+if sys.version_info >= (3, 8):
+    from typing import Literal
+else:
+    from typing_extensions import Literal
+
 R = TypeVar("R")
 T = TypeVar("T")
 P = typing_extensions.ParamSpec("P")
@@ -686,24 +692,26 @@ def create_task():
         return wrapper(f)
 
 
+# Type alias required for Python <= 3.9, where ParamSpec doesn't properly support non-type arguments
+# i.e. [] is taken as a value instead of a type
 @overload
 def use_task(
     f: None = None,
     *,
-    dependencies: None = ...,
+    dependencies: Literal[None] = ...,
     raise_error=...,
     prefer_threaded=...,
-) -> Callable[[Callable[P, R]], Task[P, R]]: ...
+) -> Callable[[Callable[[], R]], "Task[[], R]"]: ...
 
 
 @overload
 def use_task(
-    f: Callable[P, R],
+    f: Callable[[], R],
     *,
-    dependencies: None = ...,
+    dependencies: Literal[None] = ...,
     raise_error=...,
     prefer_threaded=...,
-) -> Task[P, R]: ...
+) -> "Task[[], R]": ...
 
 
 @overload
@@ -727,12 +735,12 @@ def use_task(
 
 
 def use_task(
-    f: Union[None, Callable[P, R]] = None,
+    f: Union[None, Callable[[], R]] = None,
     *,
     dependencies: Union[None, List] = [],
     raise_error=True,
     prefer_threaded=True,
-) -> Union[Callable[[Callable[P, R]], Task[P, R]], Task[P, R]]:
+) -> Union[Callable[[Callable[[], R]], "Task[[], R]"], "Task[[], R]"]:
     """A hook that runs a function or coroutine function as a task and returns the result.
 
     Allows you to run code in the background, with the UI available to the user. This is useful for long running tasks,
@@ -811,7 +819,7 @@ async def square():
     """
 
     def wrapper(f):
-        def create_task() -> Task[P, R]:
+        def create_task() -> Task[[], R]:
             return task(f, prefer_threaded=prefer_threaded)
 
         task_instance = solara.use_memo(create_task, dependencies=[])
diff --git a/tests/integration/assets_test.py b/tests/integration/assets_test.py
index a2c095409..4fb3082eb 100644
--- a/tests/integration/assets_test.py
+++ b/tests/integration/assets_test.py
@@ -67,8 +67,9 @@ def test_assets_extra(solara_server):
 def test_api_style(page_session: playwright.sync_api.Page, solara_server, solara_app):
     # this test is added because the include css macro in the jinja template may embed the
     # css, which also requires respecting the extra assets directories
-    with solara_app("solara.website.pages.documentation.components.input.button"), extra_assets(
-        [str(HERE / "assets" / "assets1"), str(HERE / "assets" / "assets2")]
+    with (
+        solara_app("solara.website.pages.documentation.components.input.button"),
+        extra_assets([str(HERE / "assets" / "assets1"), str(HERE / "assets" / "assets2")]),
     ):
         page_session.goto(solara_server.base_url)
         button = page_session.locator("text=Clicked 0 times")