diff --git a/src/qcodes/dataset/measurement_extensions.py b/src/qcodes/dataset/measurement_extensions.py
index 9472d27a28d5..719c6695fa0b 100644
--- a/src/qcodes/dataset/measurement_extensions.py
+++ b/src/qcodes/dataset/measurement_extensions.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 import time
-from collections.abc import Generator, Sequence
+from collections.abc import Generator, Mapping, Sequence
 from contextlib import ExitStack, contextmanager
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class DataSetDefinition:
     experiment: Experiment | None = None
     """An optional argument specifying which Experiment this dataset should be
     written to"""
-    metadata: dict[str, Any] | None = None
+    metadata: Mapping[str, Any] | None = None
     """An optional dictionary of metadata that will be added to the dataset
     generated by this definition"""