diff --git a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
index f8b3331b..37ed40e2 100644
--- a/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
+++ b/ipykernel/kernelbase.py
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ async def execute_request(self, stream, ident, parent):
             self._publish_execute_input(code, parent, self.execution_count)
 
         cell_meta = parent.get("metadata", {})
-        cell_id = cell_meta.get("cellId") or {}
+        cell_id = cell_meta.get("cellId")
 
         # Check which parameters do_execute can accept
         accepts_params = _accepts_parameters(self.do_execute, ["cell_meta", "cell_id"])