diff --git a/my/core/compat.py b/my/core/compat.py
index a2a627c..a7775c8 100644
--- a/my/core/compat.py
+++ b/my/core/compat.py
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 '''
 Some backwards compatibility stuff/deprecation helpers
 '''
+import sys
 from types import ModuleType
-from typing import Callable
 
 from . import warnings
 from .common import LazyLogger
@@ -49,22 +49,6 @@ def _get_dal(cfg, module_name: str):
         return import_module(f'my.config.repos.{module_name}.dal')
 
 
-import sys
-from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
-
-if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 8):
-    from typing import Literal
-else:
-    if TYPE_CHECKING:
-        from typing_extensions import Literal
-    else:
-        # erm.. I guess as long as it's not crashing, whatever...
-        class _Literal:
-            def __getitem__(self, args):
-                pass
-        Literal = _Literal()
-
-
 import os
 windows = os.name == 'nt'
 
@@ -103,3 +87,39 @@ else:
         return property(functools.lru_cache(maxsize=1)(f)) # type: ignore
     del Cl
     del R
+
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+
+if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 8):
+    from typing import Literal
+else:
+    if TYPE_CHECKING:
+        from typing_extensions import Literal
+    else:
+        # erm.. I guess as long as it's not crashing, whatever...
+        class _Literal:
+            def __getitem__(self, args):
+                pass
+        Literal = _Literal()
+
+
+if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 8):
+    from typing import Protocol
+else:
+    if TYPE_CHECKING:
+        from typing_extensions import Protocol  # type: ignore[misc]
+    else:
+        # todo could also use NamedTuple?
+        Protocol = object
+
+
+if sys.version_info[:2] >= (3, 8):
+    from typing import TypedDict
+else:
+    if TYPE_CHECKING:
+        from typing_extensions import TypedDict  # type: ignore[misc]
+    else:
+        from typing import Dict
+        TypedDict = Dict
diff --git a/my/fbmessenger/common.py b/my/fbmessenger/common.py
index 5f8bd85..748b9d9 100644
--- a/my/fbmessenger/common.py
+++ b/my/fbmessenger/common.py
@@ -1,16 +1,9 @@
 from my.core import __NOT_HPI_MODULE__
 
-from datetime import datetime
-from typing import Iterator, Optional, TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import Iterator, Optional
 
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    try:
-        from typing import Protocol
-    except ImportError:
-        # requirement of mypy
-        from typing_extensions import Protocol  # type: ignore[misc]
-else:
-    Protocol = object
+from my.core.compat import Protocol
+from my.core import datetime_aware
 
 
 class Thread(Protocol):
@@ -26,7 +19,7 @@ class Message(Protocol):
     def id(self) -> str: ...
 
     @property
-    def dt(self) -> datetime: ...
+    def dt(self) -> datetime_aware: ...
 
     @property
     def text(self) -> Optional[str]: ...
diff --git a/my/reddit/common.py b/my/reddit/common.py
index 3bb0279..d33e02b 100644
--- a/my/reddit/common.py
+++ b/my/reddit/common.py
@@ -2,22 +2,13 @@
 This defines Protocol classes, which make sure that each different
 type of shared models have a standardized interface
 """
+from my.core import __NOT_HPI_MODULE__
 
-from typing import Dict, Any, Set, Iterator, TYPE_CHECKING
+from typing import Set, Iterator
 from itertools import chain
 
-from my.core.common import datetime_aware
-
-Json = Dict[str, Any]
-
-if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    try:
-        from typing import Protocol
-    except ImportError:
-        # requirement of mypy
-        from typing_extensions import Protocol  # type: ignore[misc]
-else:
-    Protocol = object
+from my.core.compat import Protocol
+from my.core import datetime_aware, Json
 
 
 # common fields across all the Protocol classes, so generic code can be written
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 33c2c71..427be71 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -5,7 +5,11 @@ minversion = 3.5
 toxworkdir={env:TOXWORKDIR_BASE:}{toxinidir}/.tox
 
 [testenv]
-passenv = CI CI_*
+passenv = 
+# useful for tests to know they are running under ci
+  CI CI_*
+# respect user's cache dirs to prevent tox from crapping into project dir
+  MYPY_CACHE_DIR PYTHONPYCACHEPREFIX
 
 
 # just the very core tests with minimal dependencies
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ commands =
                     -p my.browser                     \
                     -p my.endomondo                   \
                     -p my.github.ghexport             \
+                    -p my.github.gdpr                 \
                     -p my.hypothesis                  \
                     -p my.instapaper                  \
                     -p my.pocket                      \