diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
index 05acdc6013..6b698c0622 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.c
@@ -8340,7 +8340,7 @@ qemuProcessQMPFree(qemuProcessQMPPtr cmd)
 
 
 qemuProcessQMPPtr
-qemuProcessQMPNew(char *binary,
+qemuProcessQMPNew(const char *binary,
                   const char *libDir,
                   uid_t runUid,
                   gid_t runGid,
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
index 4843210f76..fe79873967 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_process.h
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ struct _qemuProcessQMP {
     virDomainObjPtr vm;
 };
 
-qemuProcessQMPPtr qemuProcessQMPNew(char *binary,
+qemuProcessQMPPtr qemuProcessQMPNew(const char *binary,
                                     const char *libDir,
                                     uid_t runUid,
                                     gid_t runGid,