diff --git a/python/quadrants/lang/_func_base.py b/python/quadrants/lang/_func_base.py
index dd5cdbac8..078e921f5 100644
--- a/python/quadrants/lang/_func_base.py
+++ b/python/quadrants/lang/_func_base.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
     QuadrantsRuntimeError,
     QuadrantsRuntimeTypeError,
     QuadrantsSyntaxError,
+    get_func_signature,
 )
 from quadrants.lang.kernel_arguments import ArgMetadata
 from quadrants.lang.matrix import MatrixType
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ def check_parameter_annotations(self) -> None:
 
         Note: NOT in the hot path. Just run once, on function registration
         """
-        sig = inspect.signature(self.func)
+        sig = get_func_signature(self.func)
         if hasattr(self.func, "__wrapped__"):
             raise_exception(
                 QuadrantsSyntaxError,
@@ -189,7 +190,7 @@ def _populate_global_vars_for_templates(
         for i in template_slot_locations:
             template_var_name = argument_metas[i].name
             global_vars[template_var_name] = py_args[i]
-        parameters = inspect.signature(fn).parameters
+        parameters = get_func_signature(fn).parameters
         for i, (parameter_name, parameter) in enumerate(parameters.items()):
             if is_dataclass(parameter.annotation):
                 _kernel_impl_dataclass.populate_global_vars_from_dataclass(
diff --git a/python/quadrants/lang/_kernel_impl_dataclass.py b/python/quadrants/lang/_kernel_impl_dataclass.py
index c5d7bd530..ebd298dff 100644
--- a/python/quadrants/lang/_kernel_impl_dataclass.py
+++ b/python/quadrants/lang/_kernel_impl_dataclass.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import ast
 import dataclasses
-import inspect
 from typing import Any
 
 from quadrants.lang import util
@@ -73,7 +72,9 @@ def extract_struct_locals_from_context(ctx: ASTTransformerFuncContext) -> set[st
     """
     struct_locals = set()
     assert ctx.func is not None
-    sig = inspect.signature(ctx.func.func)
+    from quadrants.lang.exception import get_func_signature
+
+    sig = get_func_signature(ctx.func.func)
     parameters = sig.parameters
     for param_name, parameter in parameters.items():
         if dataclasses.is_dataclass(parameter.annotation):
diff --git a/python/quadrants/lang/_perf_dispatch.py b/python/quadrants/lang/_perf_dispatch.py
index 4bc21844a..a1999199d 100644
--- a/python/quadrants/lang/_perf_dispatch.py
+++ b/python/quadrants/lang/_perf_dispatch.py
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-import inspect
 import os
 import time
 from collections import defaultdict
@@ -8,7 +7,7 @@
 from . import impl
 from ._exceptions import raise_exception
 from ._quadrants_callable import QuadrantsCallable
-from .exception import QuadrantsRuntimeError, QuadrantsSyntaxError
+from .exception import QuadrantsRuntimeError, QuadrantsSyntaxError, get_func_signature
 
 NUM_WARMUP: int = 3
 NUM_ACTIVE: int = 1
@@ -58,7 +57,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.num_active = num_active if num_active is not None else NUM_ACTIVE
         self.repeat_after_count = repeat_after_count if repeat_after_count is not None else REPEAT_AFTER_COUNT
         self.repeat_after_seconds = repeat_after_seconds if repeat_after_seconds is not None else REPEAT_AFTER_SECONDS
-        sig = inspect.signature(fn)
+        sig = get_func_signature(fn)
         self._param_types: dict[str, Any] = {}
         for param_name, param in sig.parameters.items():
             self._param_types[param_name] = param.annotation
@@ -99,7 +98,7 @@ def register(
         dispatch_impl_set = self._dispatch_impl_set
 
         def decorator(func: Callable | QuadrantsCallable) -> DispatchImpl:
-            sig = inspect.signature(func)
+            sig = get_func_signature(func)
             log_str = f"perf_dispatch registering {func.__name__}"  # type: ignore
             _logging.debug(log_str)
             if QD_PERFDISPATCH_PRINT_DEBUG:
diff --git a/python/quadrants/lang/exception.py b/python/quadrants/lang/exception.py
index 771dd56b0..beaf2eeb0 100644
--- a/python/quadrants/lang/exception.py
+++ b/python/quadrants/lang/exception.py
@@ -57,6 +57,16 @@ def get_ret(needed, provided):
         return QuadrantsRuntimeTypeError(f"Return (type={provided}) cannot be converted into required type {needed}")
 
 
+def get_func_signature(func):
+    """Call inspect.signature with eval_str=True, converting annotation errors to QuadrantsSyntaxError."""
+    import inspect
+
+    try:
+        return inspect.signature(func, eval_str=True)
+    except (NameError, AttributeError) as e:
+        raise QuadrantsSyntaxError(f"Invalid type annotation of Taichi kernel: {e}") from e
+
+
 def handle_exception_from_cpp(exc):
     if isinstance(exc, core.QuadrantsTypeError):
         return QuadrantsTypeError(str(exc))
diff --git a/tests/python/test_future_annotations.py b/tests/python/test_future_annotations.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c359679f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/python/test_future_annotations.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+"""Test that kernels work with `from __future__ import annotations` (PEP 563)."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import quadrants as qd
+
+from tests import test_utils
+
+
+@qd.kernel
+def add_kernel(a: qd.types.NDArray[qd.i32, 1], b: qd.types.NDArray[qd.i32, 1]) -> None:
+    for i in a:
+        a[i] = a[i] + b[i]
+
+
+@test_utils.test()
+def test_future_annotations_kernel():
+    a = qd.ndarray(qd.i32, (4,))
+    b = qd.ndarray(qd.i32, (4,))
+    for i in range(4):
+        a[i] = i
+        b[i] = 10
+    add_kernel(a, b)
+    for i in range(4):
+        assert a[i] == i + 10