diff --git a/nslsii/areadetector/xspress3.py b/nslsii/areadetector/xspress3.py
index e097ac02..8d4485ef 100644
--- a/nslsii/areadetector/xspress3.py
+++ b/nslsii/areadetector/xspress3.py
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from uuid import uuid4
 
+import numpy as np
+
 from databroker.assets.handlers import Xspress3HDF5Handler
 
 from event_model import compose_resource
@@ -136,9 +138,9 @@ class Xspress3ExternalFileReference(Signal):
 
     """
 
-    def __init__(self, *args, dtype_str="uint32", bin_count=4096, dim_name="bin_count", **kwargs):
+    def __init__(self, *args, dtype_str="<u4", bin_count=4096, dim_name="bin_count", **kwargs):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
-        self.dtype_str = dtype_str
+        self.dtype_str = np.dtype(dtype_str).str
         self.shape = (bin_count,)
         self.dims = (dim_name,)
 
@@ -923,7 +925,7 @@ def clear_all_rois(self):
 
     def get_external_file_ref(self):
         """Return the Xspress3ExternalFileReference.
-        
+
            image_data_key is an optional attribute
            if it is not present return None
         """
@@ -1142,7 +1144,7 @@ def iterate_channels(self):
 
     def get_external_file_ref(self):
         """Return the Xspress3ExternalFileReference.
-        
+
            image_data_key is an optional attribute
            if it is not present return None
         """
diff --git a/nslsii/tests/test_xspress3.py b/nslsii/tests/test_xspress3.py
index 452dcc59..b6d54e37 100644
--- a/nslsii/tests/test_xspress3.py
+++ b/nslsii/tests/test_xspress3.py
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ def test_instantiate_channel_class():
     )
     channel_2 = channel_class(prefix="Xsp3:", name="channel_2")
 
-    assert channel_2.image.dtype_str == "uint32"
+    assert channel_2.image.dtype_str == "<u4"
     assert channel_2.image.shape == (4096,)
     assert channel_2.image.dims == ("bin_count",)
     assert channel_2.get_external_file_ref().name == "channel_2_image"