diff --git a/tensordict/utils.py b/tensordict/utils.py
index 0e370856f..f282edd53 100644
--- a/tensordict/utils.py
+++ b/tensordict/utils.py
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 from collections.abc import KeysView
 from contextlib import nullcontext
 from copy import copy
-from dataclasses import _FIELDS, GenericAlias
 from functools import wraps
 from importlib import import_module
 from numbers import Number
@@ -75,6 +74,18 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     from tensordict.tensordict import TensorDictBase
 
+try:
+    from dataclasses import _FIELDS, GenericAlias
+except ImportError:
+    # python < 3.9
+    from dataclasses import _FIELDS
+
+    class GenericAlias:
+        """Placeholder."""
+
+        ...
+
+
 try:
     try:
         from torch._C._functorch import (  # @manual=fbcode//caffe2:torch