diff --git a/packages/zoe/src/contractSupport/topics.js b/packages/zoe/src/contractSupport/topics.js
index 350b378e1a1b..8f1f15283e13 100644
--- a/packages/zoe/src/contractSupport/topics.js
+++ b/packages/zoe/src/contractSupport/topics.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ export { SubscriberShape };
 export const PublicTopicShape = M.splitRecord(
   {
     subscriber: SubscriberShape,
-    storagePath: M.promise(/* string */),
+    storagePath: M.or(M.promise(/* string */), M.string()),
   },
   { description: M.string() },
 );