diff --git a/tools/filters/sff_extract.py b/tools/filters/sff_extract.py
index ddc3c8fd280..a1d9435d66a 100644
--- a/tools/filters/sff_extract.py
+++ b/tools/filters/sff_extract.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ import struct
 import subprocess
 import sys
 import tempfile
-from typing import Dict, List
 
 __author__ = 'Jose Blanca and Bastien Chevreux'
 __copyright__ = 'Copyright 2008, Jose Blanca, COMAV, and Bastien Chevreux'
@@ -43,9 +42,9 @@ __status__ = 'beta'
 fake_sff_name = 'fake_sff_name'
 
 # readname as key: lines with matches from SSAHA, one best match
-ssahapematches: Dict[str, List] = {}
+ssahapematches = {}  # type: ignore
 # linker readname as key: length of linker sequence
-linkerlengths: Dict[str, int] = {}
+linkerlengths = {}  # type: ignore
 
 # set to true if something really fishy is going on with the sequences
 stern_warning = True
diff --git a/tools/filters/sff_extractor.xml b/tools/filters/sff_extractor.xml
index d26b6e5ca2e..236669327dd 100644
--- a/tools/filters/sff_extractor.xml
+++ b/tools/filters/sff_extractor.xml
@@ -57,5 +57,3 @@ Clippings (XML)
 
     </help>
 </tool>
-
-