diff --git a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_outside.py b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_outside.py
index 8f71aa9a8..c2454e7c8 100644
--- a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_outside.py
+++ b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_outside.py
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ def subscribe(
         from_offset: int | None = None,
         wait_new_records: bool = True,
         idle_timeout: timedelta | None = None,
+        type: Any = None,
     ) -> AsyncGenerator[Item, None]:
         """Read the Stream's items in order.
 
@@ -114,6 +115,8 @@ def subscribe(
             from_offset: Start at this offset, inclusive. Defaults to the first Record.
             wait_new_records: Wait for new Records at the end of the Stream.
             idle_timeout: End with an ``Idle`` item when no new Record comes for this long.
+            type: Decode the values of Topics with no type as this type. A Topic from
+                :py:meth:`topic` with a type keeps its own.
         """
         return self._read(
             topics=[topic.name for topic in topics] if topics else None,
@@ -121,6 +124,7 @@ def subscribe(
                 **self._types,
                 **{topic.name: topic.type for topic in topics or []},
             },
+            default_type=type,
             from_offset=from_offset,
             wait_new_records=wait_new_records,
             idle_timeout=idle_timeout,
@@ -131,6 +135,7 @@ async def _read(
         *,
         topics: list[str] | None,
         types: dict[str, Any],
+        default_type: Any,
         from_offset: int | None,
         wait_new_records: bool,
         idle_timeout: timedelta | None,
@@ -141,6 +146,7 @@ async def _read(
             await self._stream_id(),
             topics=topics,
             types=types,
+            default_type=default_type,
             from_offset=from_offset,
             wait_new_records=wait_new_records,
             idle_timeout=idle_timeout,
diff --git a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_reader.py b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_reader.py
index 11f5e072e..05ad28df4 100644
--- a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_reader.py
+++ b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_reader.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ async def read(
     *,
     topics: Sequence[str] | None,
     types: Mapping[str, Any],
+    default_type: Any = None,
     from_offset: int | None,
     wait_new_records: bool,
     idle_timeout: timedelta | None,
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ async def read(
                 continue
             raise
         for record in answer.records or []:
-            item = await _item(converter, record, types)
+            item = await _item(converter, record, types, default_type)
             if item is None:
                 continue
             yield item
@@ -98,11 +99,12 @@ async def _item(
     converter: temporalio.converter.DataConverter,
     record: models.StreamRecord,
     types: Mapping[str, Any],
+    default_type: Any,
 ) -> Item | None:
     offset = record.offset or 0
     if record.kind == StreamRecordKind.STREAM_RECORD_KIND_DATA:
         topic = record.topic or ""
-        type_hint = types.get(topic)
+        type_hint = types.get(topic) or default_type
         data = await _convert.decode(converter, record.body, type_hint)
         return Record(topic=topic, data=data, offset=offset, producer=record.producer)
     if record.kind == StreamRecordKind.STREAM_RECORD_KIND_SUPERSEDED:
diff --git a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_stream.py b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_stream.py
index 3c153733b..6d426d9b5 100644
--- a/temporalio/contrib/streams/_stream.py
+++ b/temporalio/contrib/streams/_stream.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ def subscribe(
         from_offset: int | None = None,
         wait_new_records: bool = True,
         idle_timeout: timedelta | None = None,
+        type: Any = None,
     ) -> AsyncGenerator[Item, None]: ...
 
 
diff --git a/tests/contrib/streams/test_facade.py b/tests/contrib/streams/test_facade.py
index 54c2c2f9d..f30b8192a 100644
--- a/tests/contrib/streams/test_facade.py
+++ b/tests/contrib/streams/test_facade.py
@@ -306,3 +306,18 @@ async def test_create_wait_ends_with_the_run(client: Client):
     start = asyncio.get_running_loop().time()
     assert [item async for item in stream.subscribe()] == []
     assert asyncio.get_running_loop().time() - start < 30
+
+
+async def test_read_default_type_for_untyped_topics(client: Client):
+    client, _ = fake_client(client)
+    stream = await streams.create_stream(client, "default-type")
+    stream.topic("turns").publish(Turn("model"))
+    stream.topic("tokens").publish("hi")
+    await stream.flush()
+    reader = streams.for_ref(client, stream.ref)
+    reader.topic("tokens", type=RawValue)
+    items = [item async for item in reader.subscribe(type=Turn, wait_new_records=False)]
+    first, second = items
+    assert isinstance(first, streams.Record) and first.data == Turn("model")
+    # A typed Topic keeps its own type.
+    assert isinstance(second, streams.Record) and isinstance(second.data, RawValue)