diff --git a/Doc/reference/datamodel.rst b/Doc/reference/datamodel.rst
@@ -1951,7 +1951,7 @@ namespace returned by ``__prepare__`` is passed in to ``__new__``, but when
 the final class object is created the namespace is copied into a new ``dict``.
 
 If the metaclass has no ``__prepare__`` attribute, then the class namespace
-is initialised as an empty :func:`dict`.
+is initialised as an empty ordered mapping.
 
 .. seealso::
 

diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Documentation/2020-02-27-17-35-27.bpo-17422.eS1hVh.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Documentation/2020-02-27-17-35-27.bpo-17422.eS1hVh.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+The language reference no longer restricts default class namespaces to dicts
+only.
Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
		@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
		The language reference no longer restricts default class namespaces to dicts
		only.