diff --git a/pmb/build/_package.py b/pmb/build/_package.py
index 44567d55..b1e26a75 100644
--- a/pmb/build/_package.py
+++ b/pmb/build/_package.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from pmb.core.arch import Arch
 from pmb.core.context import Context
 from pmb.core.pkgrepo import pkgrepo_relative_path
 from pmb.helpers import logging
+from pmb.types import CrossCompileType
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pmb.build
@@ -196,7 +197,7 @@ class BuildQueueItem(TypedDict):
     output_path: Path
     channel: str
     depends: list[str]
-    cross: str
+    cross: CrossCompileType
     chroot: Chroot
 
 
@@ -337,7 +338,10 @@ def packages(
     # Add a package to the build queue, fetch it's dependency, and
     # add record build helpers to installed (e.g. sccache)
     def queue_build(
-        aports: Path, apkbuild: dict[str, Any], depends: list[str], cross: Optional[str] = None
+        aports: Path,
+        apkbuild: dict[str, Any],
+        depends: list[str],
+        cross: CrossCompileType = None,
     ) -> list[str]:
         # Skip if already queued
         name = apkbuild["pkgname"]
diff --git a/pmb/build/autodetect.py b/pmb/build/autodetect.py
index 53bdb2ae..ecca044d 100644
--- a/pmb/build/autodetect.py
+++ b/pmb/build/autodetect.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import pmb.helpers.pmaports
 from pmb.core import Chroot
 from pmb.core.context import get_context
 from pmb.meta import Cache
+from pmb.types import CrossCompileType
 
 
 # FIXME (#2324): type hint Arch
@@ -93,10 +94,8 @@ def chroot(apkbuild: dict[str, str], arch: Arch) -> Chroot:
     return Chroot.buildroot(arch)
 
 
-def crosscompile(apkbuild, arch: Arch):
-    """
-    :returns: None, "native", "crossdirect"
-    """
+def crosscompile(apkbuild, arch: Arch) -> CrossCompileType:
+    """Decide the type of compilation necessary to build a given APKBUILD."""
     if not get_context().cross:
         return None
     if not arch.cpu_emulation_required():
diff --git a/pmb/types.py b/pmb/types.py
index a849ab02..f1a41537 100644
--- a/pmb/types.py
+++ b/pmb/types.py
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@
 
 from argparse import Namespace
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Optional, TypedDict, Union
+from typing import Literal, Optional, TypedDict, Union
 
 from pmb.core.arch import Arch
 
+CrossCompileType = Optional[Union[Literal["native"], Literal["crossdirect"]]]
 PathString = Union[Path, str]
 Env = dict[str, PathString]