diff --git a/pyairtable/orm/model.py b/pyairtable/orm/model.py
index 86c8fcb4..65bbb905 100644
--- a/pyairtable/orm/model.py
+++ b/pyairtable/orm/model.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
     Optional,
     Type,
     Union,
+    cast,
 )
 
 from typing_extensions import Self as SelfType
@@ -446,13 +447,16 @@ class _Meta:
 
     @property
     def _config(self) -> Mapping[str, Any]:
-        if not (model_meta := getattr(self.model, "Meta", None)):
+        if not (meta := getattr(self.model, "Meta", None)):
             raise AttributeError(f"{self.model.__name__}.Meta must be defined")
-        if isinstance(model_meta, dict):
-            return model_meta
-        if isinstance(model_meta, type):
-            return model_meta.__dict__
-        raise TypeError(type(model_meta))
+        if isinstance(meta, dict):
+            return meta
+        try:
+            return cast(Mapping[str, Any], meta.__dict__)
+        except AttributeError:
+            raise TypeError(
+                f"{self.model.__name__}.Meta must be a dict or class; got {type(meta)}"
+            )
 
     def get(
         self,
diff --git a/pyairtable/testing.py b/pyairtable/testing.py
index a594bf24..359ad33b 100644
--- a/pyairtable/testing.py
+++ b/pyairtable/testing.py
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@
 import datetime
 import random
 import string
-from typing import Any, Optional
+from typing import Any, Optional, Union
 
+from pyairtable.api import retrying
+from pyairtable.api.api import TimeoutTuple
 from pyairtable.api.types import AttachmentDict, CollaboratorDict, Fields, RecordDict
 
 
@@ -34,6 +36,8 @@ def fake_meta(
     base_id: str = "appFakeTestingApp",
     table_name: str = "tblFakeTestingTbl",
     api_key: str = "patFakePersonalAccessToken",
+    timeout: Optional[TimeoutTuple] = None,
+    retry: Optional[Union[bool, retrying.Retry]] = None,
     use_field_ids: bool = False,
 ) -> type:
     """
@@ -43,6 +47,8 @@ def fake_meta(
         "base_id": base_id,
         "table_name": table_name,
         "api_key": api_key,
+        "timeout": timeout,
+        "retry": retry,
         "use_field_ids": use_field_ids,
     }
     return type("Meta", (), attrs)
diff --git a/tests/test_orm_model.py b/tests/test_orm_model.py
index 4d1c287e..df8a7e8c 100644
--- a/tests/test_orm_model.py
+++ b/tests/test_orm_model.py
@@ -68,6 +68,47 @@ class Address(Model):
         m.assert_not_called()
 
 
+def test_model_meta_dict():
+    """
+    Test that we can define Meta as a dict rather than a class.
+    """
+
+    class Address(Model):
+        Meta = {
+            "api_key": "fake_api_key",
+            "base_id": "fake_base_id",
+            "table_name": "fake_table_name",
+            "timeout": (1, 1),
+            "retry": False,
+        }
+
+    assert Address.meta.api.api_key == "fake_api_key"
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("invalid_meta", ([1, 2, 3], "invalid", True))
+def test_model_invalid_meta(invalid_meta):
+    """
+    Test that model creation raises a TypeError if Meta is an invalid type.
+    """
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+
+        class Address(Model):
+            Meta = invalid_meta
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("meta_kwargs", [{"timeout": 1}, {"retry": "sure"}])
+def test_model_meta_checks_types(meta_kwargs):
+    """
+    Test that accessing meta raises a TypeError if a value is an invalid type.
+    """
+
+    class Address(Model):
+        Meta = fake_meta(**meta_kwargs)
+
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+        Address.meta.api
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parametrize("name", ("exists", "id"))
 def test_model_overlapping(name):
     """