diff --git a/src/Notebook_Processor/notebook_models/notebook_cell_model.py b/src/Notebook_Processor/notebook_models/notebook_cell_model.py
index 877656750146d451b40a4f40f08908a861ff6b2b..5eefd3beefc4e2d274d2d2586b4421680ee22241 100644
--- a/src/Notebook_Processor/notebook_models/notebook_cell_model.py
+++ b/src/Notebook_Processor/notebook_models/notebook_cell_model.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ class NotebookMarkdownCellModel(BaseNotebookCellModel):
     "Notebook markdown cell."
     """
     cell_type: Literal["markdown"]
-    attachments: Optional[dict] = Field(default=None, description="Media attachments (e.g. inline images), stored as mimebundle keyed by filename.")
+    attachments: dict = Field(default={}, description="Media attachments (e.g. inline images), stored as mimebundle keyed by filename.")
 
 
 class NotebookCodeCellModel(BaseNotebookCellModel):
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ class NotebookRawCellModel(BaseNotebookCellModel):
     "Notebook raw nbconvert cell."
     """
     cell_type: Literal["raw"]
-    attachments: Optional[dict] = Field(default=None, description="Media attachments (e.g. inline images), stored as mimebundle keyed by filename.")
+    attachments: dict = Field(default={}, description="Media attachments (e.g. inline images), stored as mimebundle keyed by filename.")
 
 
 NotebookCellAnnotation = Annotated[