diff --git a/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/__init__.py b/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/__init__.py
index 64c8d620153..df79231eaa7 100644
--- a/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/__init__.py
+++ b/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/__init__.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
     ComponentToConfig,
     ComponentType,
     is_component_class,
+    is_component_instance,
 )
 from ._constants import (
     EVENT_LOGGER_NAME as EVENT_LOGGER_NAME_ALIAS,
@@ -122,6 +123,7 @@
     "ComponentToConfig",
     "ComponentType",
     "is_component_class",
+    "is_component_instance",
     "DropMessage",
     "InterventionHandler",
     "DefaultInterventionHandler",
diff --git a/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/_component_config.py b/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/_component_config.py
index 5697c922db0..629065b4fe2 100644
--- a/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/_component_config.py
+++ b/python/packages/autogen-core/src/autogen_core/_component_config.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import importlib
 import warnings
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from typing import Any, ClassVar, Dict, Generic, Literal, Type, cast, overload
+from typing import Any, ClassVar, Dict, Generic, Literal, Type, TypeGuard, cast, overload
 
 from pydantic import BaseModel
 from typing_extensions import Self, TypeVar
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ def load_component(
 
         module_path, class_name = output
         module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
-        component_class = cast(Component[BaseModel], module.__getattribute__(class_name))
+        component_class = module.__getattribute__(class_name)
 
         if not is_component_class(component_class):
             raise TypeError("Invalid component class")
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ def load_component(
                     f"Tried to load component {component_class} which is on version {component_class.component_version} with a config on version {loaded_config_version} but _from_config_past_version is not implemented"
                 ) from e
         else:
-            schema = component_class.component_config_schema
+            schema = component_class.component_config_schema  # type: ignore
             validated_config = schema.model_validate(loaded_model.config)
 
             # We're allowed to use the private method here
@@ -310,15 +310,19 @@ def _from_config(cls, config: Config) -> MyComponent:
     ...
 
 
-def is_component_class(cls: type | Any) -> bool:
+def is_component_instance(cls: Any) -> TypeGuard[Component[BaseModel]]:
     return (
-        issubclass(cls, ComponentFromConfig)
-        and issubclass(cls, ComponentToConfig)
-        and issubclass(cls, ComponentSchemaType)
-        and issubclass(cls, ComponentLoader)
-    ) or (
         isinstance(cls, ComponentFromConfig)
         and isinstance(cls, ComponentToConfig)
         and isinstance(cls, ComponentSchemaType)
         and isinstance(cls, ComponentLoader)
     )
+
+
+def is_component_class(cls: type) -> TypeGuard[Type[Component[BaseModel]]]:
+    return (
+        issubclass(cls, ComponentFromConfig)
+        and issubclass(cls, ComponentToConfig)
+        and issubclass(cls, ComponentSchemaType)
+        and issubclass(cls, ComponentLoader)
+    )