--- a/datalad/support/gitrepo.py
+++ b/datalad/support/gitrepo.py
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ from datalad.typing import (
     Literal,
     P,
     Protocol,
-    Self,
+    # Self,
     T,
     TypedDict,
 )
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ class GitRepo(CoreGitRepo):
         return self.pathobj == self.dot_git
 
     @classmethod
-    def clone(cls, url: str, path: str, *args: Any, clone_options: Optional[list[str] | dict[str, Option]] = None, **kwargs: Any) -> Self:
+    def clone(cls, url: str, path: str, *args: Any, clone_options: Optional[list[str] | dict[str, Option]] = None, **kwargs: Any) -> GitRepo: #  -> Self:
         """Clone url into path
 
         Provides workarounds for known issues (e.g.
--- a/datalad/typing.py
+++ b/datalad/typing.py
@@ -17,10 +17,12 @@ from typing import (
     TypeVar,
 )
 
-if sys.version_info >= (3, 11):
-    from typing import Self
-else:
-    from typing_extensions import Self
+# Debian: Requires typing extensions >= 4.x and backporting was not streamlined,
+# so let's just not use it
+#if sys.version_info >= (3, 11):
+#    from typing import Self
+#else:
+#    from typing_extensions import Self
 
 __all__ = ["Literal", "ParamSpec", "T", "K", "V", "P"]
 
