diff --git a/tensordict/_td.py b/tensordict/_td.py
index 1e6a9aeb9..346f0edd3 100644
--- a/tensordict/_td.py
+++ b/tensordict/_td.py
@@ -2696,10 +2696,9 @@ def _stack_onto_at_(
         return self
 
     def _get_str(self, key, default):
-        first_key = key
-        out = self._tensordict.get(first_key)
+        out = self._tensordict.get(key)
         if out is None:
-            return self._default_get(first_key, default)
+            return self._default_get(key, default)
         return out
 
     def _get_tuple(self, key, default):
diff --git a/tensordict/tensorclass.py b/tensordict/tensorclass.py
index f993952f7..b3f27265b 100644
--- a/tensordict/tensorclass.py
+++ b/tensordict/tensorclass.py
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     _GENERIC_NESTED_ERR,
     _is_dataclass as is_dataclass,
     _is_json_serializable,
-    _is_tensorclass,
+    _is_tensorclass,_is_non_tensor,
     _LOCK_ERROR,
     _td_fields,
     _TENSORCLASS_MEMO,
@@ -1473,11 +1473,17 @@ def _setstate(self, state: dict[str, Any]) -> None:  # noqa: D417
 
 def _getattr(self, item: str) -> Any:
     _tensordict = self._tensordict
-    __dataclass_fields__ = type(self).__expected_keys__
 
-    if item in __dataclass_fields__:
-        _non_tensordict = self._non_tensordict
-        if _non_tensordict:
+    out = _tensordict._get_str(item, NO_DEFAULT)
+    if out is not NO_DEFAULT:
+        if isinstance(out, (NonTensorData, NonTensorStack)):
+            return out.data if not isinstance(out, NonTensorStack) else out.tolist()
+        return out
+
+    _non_tensordict = self._non_tensordict
+    if _non_tensordict:
+        __dataclass_fields__ = type(self).__expected_keys__
+        if item in __dataclass_fields__:
             out = _non_tensordict.get(item, NO_DEFAULT)
             if out is not NO_DEFAULT:
                 if (
@@ -1487,16 +1493,12 @@ def _getattr(self, item: str) -> Any:
                 ):
                     return _from_shared_nontensor(out)
                 return out
-        out = _tensordict._get_str(item, NO_DEFAULT)
-        if is_non_tensor(out):
-            return out.data if not isinstance(out, NonTensorStack) else out.tolist()
-        return out
 
     out = getattr(_tensordict, item, NO_DEFAULT)
     if out is not NO_DEFAULT:
         if not callable(out) and not is_non_tensor(out):
             return out
-        if is_non_tensor(out):
+        if _is_non_tensor(type(out)):
             return out.data if hasattr(out, "data") else out.tolist()
         return _wrap_method(self, item, out)
     raise AttributeError(item)