diff --git a/sphinxarg/ext.py b/sphinxarg/ext.py
index 2e79880..b07fd53 100644
--- a/sphinxarg/ext.py
+++ b/sphinxarg/ext.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import sys
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
+from inspect import ismodule
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, ClassVar, cast
 
 from docutils import nodes
@@ -20,6 +21,10 @@
 from sphinx.util.docutils import SphinxDirective, new_document
 from sphinx.util.nodes import make_id, make_refnode, nested_parse_with_titles
 
+if ismodule(mock):
+    mock = mock.mock
+    # A persistent bug in sphinx / autodoc might cause problems during importing (#82)
+
 from sphinxarg import __version__
 from sphinxarg.parser import parse_parser, parser_navigate
 from sphinxarg.utils import command_pos_args, target_to_anchor_id