diff --git a/python/taichi/lang/any_array.py b/python/taichi/lang/any_array.py
index 86c6f8b44869d..fa552857a932c 100644
--- a/python/taichi/lang/any_array.py
+++ b/python/taichi/lang/any_array.py
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ def layout(self):
 
     def get_type(self):
         return NdarrayTypeMetadata(
-            self.ptr.get_ret_type().ptr_removed(), None, _ti_core.get_external_tensor_needs_grad(self.ptr)
+            _ti_core.get_external_tensor_element_type(self.ptr), None, _ti_core.get_external_tensor_needs_grad(self.ptr)
         )  # AnyArray can take any shape
 
     @property
diff --git a/taichi/python/export_lang.cpp b/taichi/python/export_lang.cpp
index 3ea61396421b8..f13307e5b506d 100644
--- a/taichi/python/export_lang.cpp
+++ b/taichi/python/export_lang.cpp
@@ -1012,6 +1012,12 @@ void export_lang(py::module &m) {
     return expr.cast<ExternalTensorExpression>()->needs_grad;
   });
 
+  m.def("get_external_tensor_element_type", [](const Expr &expr) {
+    TI_ASSERT(expr.is<ExternalTensorExpression>());
+    auto external_tensor_expr = expr.cast<ExternalTensorExpression>();
+    return external_tensor_expr->dt;
+  });
+
   m.def("get_external_tensor_element_shape", [](const Expr &expr) {
     TI_ASSERT(expr.is<ExternalTensorExpression>());
     auto external_tensor_expr = expr.cast<ExternalTensorExpression>();