diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 5b45bf5..ea74eff 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -22,3 +22,6 @@ packages = [
 ]
 
 package-dir = { '' = 'src' }
+
+[tool.setuptools.package-data]
+'normalize_json' = ['py.typed']
diff --git a/src/micromodel/micromodel.py b/src/micromodel/micromodel.py
index 821efd6..9fef17f 100644
--- a/src/micromodel/micromodel.py
+++ b/src/micromodel/micromodel.py
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ def __init__(self, model_type: typing.Callable[[typing.Any], T], ct: dict[str, t
         if coll:
             self.coll = coll
 
-    def cast(self, target: T | dict[str, typing.Any]): return typing.cast(T, target)
+    def cast(self, target: T | typing.Any): return typing.cast(T, target)
+    def strict_cast(self, target: T): return target
     def validate(self, target: T, options: ValidationOptions = {}): return validate(self.model_type, typing.cast(typing.Any, target), options, self.ct)
 
     def find(self, *args: typing.Any, **kwargs: typing.Any):
diff --git a/src/micromodel/py.typed b/src/micromodel/py.typed
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e69de29