diff --git a/.changeset/curly-clouds-shave.md b/.changeset/curly-clouds-shave.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0e30f4bba1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/curly-clouds-shave.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/frontend-plugin-api': patch
+---
+
+Correct the `TConfig` type of data references to only contain config
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/api-report.md b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/api-report.md
index f841fc2ce2..399ecb259e 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/api-report.md
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/api-report.md
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ export interface ConfigurableExtensionDataRef<
   optional(): ConfigurableExtensionDataRef<
     TData,
     TId,
-    TData & {
+    TConfig & {
       optional: true;
     }
   >;
@@ -1800,7 +1800,7 @@ export const PageBlueprint: ExtensionBlueprint<
   | ConfigurableExtensionDataRef<
       RouteRef<AnyRouteRefParams>,
       'core.routing.ref',
-      RouteRef<AnyRouteRefParams> & {
+      {
         optional: true;
       }
     >,
diff --git a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtensionDataRef.ts b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtensionDataRef.ts
index c77aa8c394..80413c1688 100644
--- a/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtensionDataRef.ts
+++ b/packages/frontend-plugin-api/src/wiring/createExtensionDataRef.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export interface ConfigurableExtensionDataRef<
   optional(): ConfigurableExtensionDataRef<
     TData,
     TId,
-    TData & { optional: true }
+    TConfig & { optional: true }
   >;
   (t: TData): ExtensionDataValue<TData, TId>;
 }