diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.pyi b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.pyi
index fe492f0dde66..787c2ea81d6f 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.pyi
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.pyi
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ class NavigationToolbar2:
     def release_zoom(self, event: Event) -> None: ...
     def push_current(self) -> None: ...
     subplot_tool: widgets.SubplotTool
-    def configure_subplots(self, *args: Any) -> widgets.SubplotTool: ...
+    def configure_subplots(self, *args: Any) -> object: ...
     def save_figure(self, *args) -> str | None | object: ...
     def update(self) -> None: ...
     def set_history_buttons(self) -> None: ...
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index 8cdacca8c0a3..39ff36acd86d 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@
         ResizeEventType,
         LogLevel
     )
-    from matplotlib.widgets import SubplotTool
     from matplotlib._api import _Unset
 
 
@@ -2152,13 +2151,16 @@ def twiny(ax: matplotlib.axes.Axes | None = None) -> _AxesBase:
     return ax1
 
 
-def subplot_tool(targetfig: Figure | None = None) -> SubplotTool | None:
+def subplot_tool(targetfig: Figure | None = None) -> object | None:
     """
     Launch a subplot tool window for a figure.
 
     Returns
     -------
-    `matplotlib.widgets.SubplotTool`
+    object or None
+        The subplot tool window: a `~matplotlib.widgets.SubplotTool` for the
+        widgets backend, an implementation-specific value for other backends
+        (e.g. a Qt dialog), or `None` for backends using the toolmanager.
     """
     if targetfig is None:
         targetfig = gcf()