diff --git a/.changeset/stale-roses-serve.md b/.changeset/stale-roses-serve.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..dc1ab50f88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/stale-roses-serve.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@backstage/plugin-events-node': patch
+---
+
+The `EventParams` payload must now be a `JsonValue`, and the `metadata` type has been tweaked.
diff --git a/plugins/events-node/package.json b/plugins/events-node/package.json
index 6795c13441..9f822c7a94 100644
--- a/plugins/events-node/package.json
+++ b/plugins/events-node/package.json
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@
     "test": "backstage-cli package test"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^",
+    "@backstage/types": "workspace:^"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@backstage/backend-common": "^0.25.0",
diff --git a/plugins/events-node/src/api/EventParams.ts b/plugins/events-node/src/api/EventParams.ts
index 19a562aee0..9cd88b160f 100644
--- a/plugins/events-node/src/api/EventParams.ts
+++ b/plugins/events-node/src/api/EventParams.ts
@@ -14,10 +14,12 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
+import { JsonValue } from '@backstage/types';
+
 /**
  * @public
  */
-export interface EventParams<TPayload = unknown> {
+export interface EventParams<TPayload extends JsonValue = JsonValue> {
   /**
    * Topic for which this event should be published.
    */
@@ -29,5 +31,5 @@ export interface EventParams<TPayload = unknown> {
   /**
    * Metadata (e.g., HTTP headers and similar for events received from external).
    */
-  metadata?: Record<string, string | string[] | undefined>;
+  metadata?: { [name in string]?: string | string[] };
 }
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 8f93a53290..f6a430f9af 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -6166,6 +6166,7 @@ __metadata:
     "@backstage/backend-plugin-api": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/backend-test-utils": "workspace:^"
     "@backstage/cli": "workspace:^"
+    "@backstage/types": "workspace:^"
   languageName: unknown
   linkType: soft