diff --git a/deepmd/utils/data.py b/deepmd/utils/data.py
index e40b2f4e53..194c6b1e24 100644
--- a/deepmd/utils/data.py
+++ b/deepmd/utils/data.py
@@ -741,6 +741,8 @@ class DataRequirementItem:
         default value of data
     dtype : np.dtype, optional
         the dtype of data, overwrites `high_prec` if provided
+    output_natoms_for_type_sel : bool, optional
+        if True and type_sel is True, the atomic dimension will be natoms instead of nsel
     """
 
     def __init__(
@@ -754,6 +756,7 @@ def __init__(
         repeat: int = 1,
         default: float = 0.0,
         dtype: Optional[np.dtype] = None,
+        output_natoms_for_type_sel: bool = False,
     ) -> None:
         self.key = key
         self.ndof = ndof
@@ -764,6 +767,7 @@ def __init__(
         self.repeat = repeat
         self.default = default
         self.dtype = dtype
+        self.output_natoms_for_type_sel = output_natoms_for_type_sel
         self.dict = self.to_dict()
 
     def to_dict(self) -> dict:
@@ -777,6 +781,7 @@ def to_dict(self) -> dict:
             "repeat": self.repeat,
             "default": self.default,
             "dtype": self.dtype,
+            "output_natoms_for_type_sel": self.output_natoms_for_type_sel,
         }
 
     def __getitem__(self, key: str):
diff --git a/deepmd/utils/data_system.py b/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
index 369857b2d1..0c74abfed1 100644
--- a/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
+++ b/deepmd/utils/data_system.py
@@ -293,7 +293,10 @@ def add_dict(self, adict: dict) -> None:
                 type_sel=adict[kk]["type_sel"],
                 repeat=adict[kk]["repeat"],
                 default=adict[kk]["default"],
-                output_natoms_for_type_sel=adict[kk]["output_natoms_for_type_sel"],
+                dtype=adict[kk].get("dtype"),
+                output_natoms_for_type_sel=adict[kk].get(
+                    "output_natoms_for_type_sel", False
+                ),
             )
 
     def add(
@@ -306,6 +309,7 @@ def add(
         type_sel: Optional[List[int]] = None,
         repeat: int = 1,
         default: float = 0.0,
+        dtype: Optional[np.dtype] = None,
         output_natoms_for_type_sel: bool = False,
     ):
         """Add a data item that to be loaded.
@@ -331,6 +335,8 @@ def add(
             The data will be repeated `repeat` times.
         default, default=0.
             Default value of data
+        dtype
+            The dtype of data, overwrites `high_prec` if provided
         output_natoms_for_type_sel : bool
             If True and type_sel is True, the atomic dimension will be natoms instead of nsel
         """
@@ -344,6 +350,7 @@ def add(
                 repeat=repeat,
                 type_sel=type_sel,
                 default=default,
+                dtype=dtype,
                 output_natoms_for_type_sel=output_natoms_for_type_sel,
             )