By modelling the two‐component scenario of high‐Tc superconductivity the isotope effect (β) in the supercarrier effective mass is calculated by a two‐band scheme with interband pair scattering. The behaviour of Tc, α and β in the underdoped region is illustrated. The repulsive interband interaction contains only a small electron–phonon contribution. The dependence of β (also of Tc, α) on doping is as observed [7], where β is larger.