for tok_name in tok_names:
                     self._db.user_id(ret[tok_name])
             elif task_verb == 'setattr':
-                target = self._db
+                target: _ClientDb | _UpdatingNickUserHost | _UpdatingTopic
                 if target_name == 'me':
-                    target = target.users[target_name]
+                    target = self._db.users[target_name]
                 elif target_name == 'topic':
-                    target = target.channels[ret['CHAN']].topic
+                    target = self._db.channels[ret['CHAN']].topic
+                else:
+                    target = self._db
                 for tok_name in sorted(tok_names):
                     # NB: alphabetical sorting of tok_names purely as a hack
                     # to ensure any setattr_topic:what be processed before any