diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index b20966e6..7e824369 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ on:
     branches:
       - main
   pull_request:
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
   test-stable-versions:
diff --git a/changelog.rst b/changelog.rst
index a2615f0d..60d3cde8 100644
--- a/changelog.rst
+++ b/changelog.rst
@@ -5,22 +5,40 @@ v2.1.0 - 2024-01-XX
 -------------------
 
 This is a maintenance and bugfix release extending support to pydantic v2.5, 
-sphinx v7.2 and python 3.12. Python 3.7 is removed from the test matrix and will no
-longer be supported.
+sphinx v7.2 and python 3.12 while dropping support for python 3.7 which has 
+reached EOL.
 
 Testing
 ~~~~~~~
 
 - Add pydantic 2.2/2.3/2.4/2.5 to test matrix.
-- Add python 3.12 to test matrix.
 - Add sphinx 7.1/7.2 to test matrix.
+- Add python 3.12 to test matrix.
+- Remove python 3.7 from test matrix.
 - Remove obsolete `skip ci` condition from github actions.
+- Update ``conftest`` to use ``pathlib`` instead of older Sphinx 
+  ``sphinx.testing.path`` module that is being deprecated for 
+  forward-compatibility with newer Sphinx versions.
 
 Bugfix
 ~~~~~~
 
 - Fix incompatibity with sphinx 7.2 due to changed usage of path objects.
   For more, see `#11606 <https://github.com/sphinx-doc/sphinx/issues/11605>`__.
+- `#176 <https://github.com/mansenfranzen/autodoc_pydantic/issues/176>`__ -
+  Remove ``sphinxcontrib/__init__.py`` causing ``ModuleNotFoundError`` 
+  exception in some environments.  This should be a namespace package per
+  `PEP 420 <https://peps.python.org/pep-0420/>`__ without ``__init_.py`` to 
+  match with other extensions.
+
+Contributors
+~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+- Thanks to `devmonkey22 <https://github.com/devmonkey22>`__ for providing a PR
+  to solve a nasty namespace package issue 
+  `#176 <https://github.com/mansenfranzen/autodoc_pydantic/issues/176>`__ and 
+  `daquinteroflex <https://github.com/daquinteroflex>`__ for testing and
+  providing feedback.
 
 v2.0.1 - 2023-08-01
 -------------------
diff --git a/sphinxcontrib/__init__.py b/sphinxcontrib/__init__.py
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29b..00000000
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index d63e0f94..d81f418e 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import logging
 from logging.handlers import MemoryHandler
 from pathlib import Path
+import shutil
 from typing import Optional, Dict, List, Callable, Union, Any
 from unittest.mock import Mock
 
@@ -16,7 +17,7 @@
 from sphinx import application
 from sphinx.application import Sphinx
 from sphinx.cmd import build
-from sphinx.testing.path import path
+
 from sphinx.testing.restructuredtext import parse
 from sphinx.util.docutils import LoggingReporter
 from sphinx.ext.autodoc.directive import (
@@ -67,12 +68,12 @@
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
-def rootdir():
-    return path(__file__).parent.abspath() / 'roots'
+def rootdir() -> Path:
+    return Path(__file__).parent.resolve() / 'roots'
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='session')
-def docdir():
+def docdir() -> Path:
     """Provides path to actual sphinx documentation of autodoc_pydantic.
 
     """
@@ -144,16 +145,12 @@ def create(testroot: str,
                conf: Optional[Dict] = None,
                deactivate_all: bool = False):
         
-        # workaround for sphinx issue #11605
-        testroot = Path(testroot)
-
         srcdir = sphinx_test_tempdir / testroot
         shutil.rmtree(srcdir, ignore_errors=True)
 
         if rootdir and not srcdir.exists():
-            testroot_name = testroot.parent / ('test-' + testroot.name)
-            testroot_path = rootdir / testroot_name
-            testroot_path.copytree(srcdir)
+            testroot_path = rootdir / ('test-' + testroot)
+            shutil.copytree(testroot_path, srcdir)
 
         kwargs = dict(srcdir=srcdir, confoverrides={})