diff --git a/src/ptserver/ptuser.c b/src/ptserver/ptuser.c
index 6bda96a2ff..099c498e35 100644
--- a/src/ptserver/ptuser.c
+++ b/src/ptserver/ptuser.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ static afs_int32 lastLevel;	/* security level pruclient, if any */
 static char *whoami = "libprot";
 
 afs_int32
-pr_Initialize(IN afs_int32 secLevel, IN char *confDir, IN char *cell)
+pr_Initialize(IN afs_int32 secLevel, IN const char *confDir, IN char *cell)
 {
     afs_int32 code;
     struct rx_connection *serverconns[MAXSERVERS];
diff --git a/src/ptserver/ptuser.h b/src/ptserver/ptuser.h
index 68631e1443..0228225086 100644
--- a/src/ptserver/ptuser.h
+++ b/src/ptserver/ptuser.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 #include "afs/ptint.h"
 
-afs_int32 pr_Initialize(afs_int32 secLevel, char *confDir, char *cell);
+afs_int32 pr_Initialize(afs_int32 secLevel, const char *confDir, char *cell);
 int pr_End(void);
 int pr_CreateUser(char name[PR_MAXNAMELEN], afs_int32 *id);
 int pr_CreateGroup(char name[PR_MAXNAMELEN], char owner[PR_MAXNAMELEN], afs_int32 *id);
diff --git a/src/viced/viced.c b/src/viced/viced.c
index fcabde0528..1202d933a4 100644
--- a/src/viced/viced.c
+++ b/src/viced/viced.c
@@ -1344,7 +1344,7 @@ struct rx_connection *serverconns[MAXSERVERS];
 struct ubik_client *cstruct;
 
 afs_int32
-vl_Initialize(char *confDir)
+vl_Initialize(const char *confDir)
 {
     afs_int32 code, scIndex = 0, i;
     struct afsconf_dir *tdir;