diff --git a/lewis/devices/__init__.py b/lewis/devices/__init__.py
index 0cf5dc32..afdff56f 100644
--- a/lewis/devices/__init__.py
+++ b/lewis/devices/__init__.py
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ def _get_state_handlers(self) -> dict[str, State]:
             "_get_state_handlers must be implemented in a StateMachineDevice."
         )
 
-    def _get_initial_state(self) -> State:
+    def _get_initial_state(self) -> str:
         """
         Implement this method to return the initial state of the internal state machine.
         The default implementation raises a ``NotImplementedError``.