diff --git a/aiida/orm/nodes/data/__init__.py b/aiida/orm/nodes/data/__init__.py
index 0023f8a107..9734c08d2d 100644
--- a/aiida/orm/nodes/data/__init__.py
+++ b/aiida/orm/nodes/data/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 """Module with `Node` sub classes for data structures."""
 
 from .array import ArrayData, BandsData, KpointsData, ProjectionData, TrajectoryData, XyData
-from .base import BaseType
+from .base import BaseType, to_aiida_type
 from .bool import Bool
 from .cif import CifData
 from .code import Code
@@ -31,5 +31,5 @@
 __all__ = (
     'Data', 'BaseType', 'ArrayData', 'BandsData', 'KpointsData', 'ProjectionData', 'TrajectoryData', 'XyData', 'Bool',
     'CifData', 'Code', 'Float', 'FolderData', 'Int', 'List', 'OrbitalData', 'Dict', 'RemoteData', 'SinglefileData',
-    'Str', 'StructureData', 'UpfData', 'NumericType'
+    'Str', 'StructureData', 'UpfData', 'NumericType', 'to_aiida_type'
 )
diff --git a/docs/source/reference/api/public.rst b/docs/source/reference/api/public.rst
index 66d30f5c87..0464d7a1ac 100644
--- a/docs/source/reference/api/public.rst
+++ b/docs/source/reference/api/public.rst
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ If a module is mentioned, then all the resources defined in its ``__all__`` are
     load_code
     load_computer
     load_group
+    to_aiida_type
 
 
 ``aiida.parsers``
diff --git a/docs/source/topics/processes/include/snippets/serialize/workchain_serialize.py b/docs/source/topics/processes/include/snippets/serialize/workchain_serialize.py
index c8ce2b81dd..5980207626 100644
--- a/docs/source/topics/processes/include/snippets/serialize/workchain_serialize.py
+++ b/docs/source/topics/processes/include/snippets/serialize/workchain_serialize.py
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 from aiida.engine import WorkChain
-from aiida.orm.nodes.data import to_aiida_type
-# The basic types need to be loaded such that they are registered with
-# the 'to_aiida_type' function.
-from aiida.orm.nodes.data.base import *
+from aiida.orm import to_aiida_type
 
 
 class SerializeWorkChain(WorkChain):
diff --git a/docs/source/topics/processes/usage.rst b/docs/source/topics/processes/usage.rst
index a883be92f1..7ab5bfb043 100644
--- a/docs/source/topics/processes/usage.rst
+++ b/docs/source/topics/processes/usage.rst
@@ -201,12 +201,14 @@ This function, passed as ``serializer`` parameter to ``spec.input``, is invoked
 For inputs which are stored in the database (``non_db=False``), the serialization function should return an AiiDA data type.
 For ``non_db`` inputs, the function must be idempotent because it might be applied more than once.
 
-The following example work chain takes three inputs ``a``, ``b``, ``c``, and simply returns the given inputs. The :func:`aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type` function is used as serialization function.
+The following example work chain takes three inputs ``a``, ``b``, ``c``, and simply returns the given inputs.
+The :func:`~aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type` function is used as serialization function.
 
 .. include:: include/snippets/serialize/workchain_serialize.py
     :code: python
 
-This work chain can now be called with native Python types, which will automatically be converted to AiiDA types by the :func:`aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type` function. Note that the module which defines the corresponding AiiDA type must be loaded for it to be recognized by :func:`aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type`.
+This work chain can now be called with native Python types, which will automatically be converted to AiiDA types by the :func:`~aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type` function.
+Note that the module which defines the corresponding AiiDA type must be loaded for it to be recognized by :func:`~aiida.orm.nodes.data.base.to_aiida_type`.
 
 .. include:: include/snippets/serialize/run_workchain_serialize.py
     :code: python
diff --git a/tests/orm/data/test_to_aiida_type.py b/tests/orm/data/test_to_aiida_type.py
index ea60034bc0..dd16d7f2e8 100644
--- a/tests/orm/data/test_to_aiida_type.py
+++ b/tests/orm/data/test_to_aiida_type.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 """
 This module contains tests for the to_aiida_type serializer
 """
-from aiida.orm.nodes.data.base import to_aiida_type
+from aiida.orm import to_aiida_type
 from aiida.orm import Dict, Int, Float, Bool, Str
 
 from aiida.backends.testbase import AiidaTestCase