diff --git a/WINGs/WINGs/WINGs.h b/WINGs/WINGs/WINGs.h
index 9b99c92a..3d2b2627 100644
--- a/WINGs/WINGs/WINGs.h
+++ b/WINGs/WINGs/WINGs.h
@@ -1324,7 +1324,7 @@ void WMSortBrowserColumnWithComparer(WMBrowser *bPtr, int column,
                                      WMCompareDataProc *func);
 
 /* Don't free the returned string. */
-char* WMSetBrowserPath(WMBrowser *bPtr, char *path);
+const char* WMSetBrowserPath(WMBrowser *bPtr, const char *path);
 
 /* free the returned string */
 char* WMGetBrowserPath(WMBrowser *bPtr);
@@ -1876,7 +1876,7 @@ void WMSetFilePanelCanChooseFiles(WMFilePanel *panel, Bool flag);
 
 void WMSetFilePanelAutoCompletion(WMFilePanel *panel, Bool flag);
 
-void WMSetFilePanelDirectory(WMFilePanel *panel, char *path);
+void WMSetFilePanelDirectory(WMFilePanel *panel, const char *path);
 
 /* you can free the returned string */
 char* WMGetFilePanelFileName(WMFilePanel *panel);
@@ -1884,7 +1884,7 @@ char* WMGetFilePanelFileName(WMFilePanel *panel);
 void WMFreeFilePanel(WMFilePanel *panel);
 
 int WMRunModalFilePanelForDirectory(WMFilePanel *panel, WMWindow *owner,
-                                    char *path, const char *name, char **fileTypes);
+                                    const char *path, const char *name, char **fileTypes);
 
 void WMSetFilePanelAccessoryView(WMFilePanel *panel, WMView *view);
 
diff --git a/WINGs/WINGs/WUtil.h b/WINGs/WINGs/WUtil.h
index fd1d1694..0410c4f2 100644
--- a/WINGs/WINGs/WUtil.h
+++ b/WINGs/WINGs/WUtil.h
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ char* wexpandpath(const char *path);
 int wcopy_file(const char *toPath, const char *srcFile, const char *destFile);
 
 /* don't free the returned string */
-char* wgethomedir(void);
+const char* wgethomedir(void);
 
 /* ---[ WINGs/proplist.c ]------------------------------------------------ */
 
diff --git a/WINGs/findfile.c b/WINGs/findfile.c
index 0726105b..bb2ce7f0 100644
--- a/WINGs/findfile.c
+++ b/WINGs/findfile.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@
 #endif
 
 
-char *wgethomedir()
+const char *wgethomedir(void)
 {
 	static char *home = NULL;
 	char *tmp;
diff --git a/WINGs/menuparser.c b/WINGs/menuparser.c
index a2c96785..de7516f9 100644
--- a/WINGs/menuparser.c
+++ b/WINGs/menuparser.c
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ found_end_define_fname:
 			while (*src != '\0') {
 				idx = 0;
 				if (*src == '~') {
-					char *home = wgethomedir();
+					const char *home = wgethomedir();
 					while (*home != '\0') {
 						if (idx < sizeof(buffer) - 2)
 							buffer[idx++] = *home;
diff --git a/WINGs/userdefaults.c b/WINGs/userdefaults.c
index cef542e4..6eb372c2 100644
--- a/WINGs/userdefaults.c
+++ b/WINGs/userdefaults.c
@@ -51,7 +51,8 @@ const char *wusergnusteppath()
 {
 	static const char subdir[] = "/GNUstep";
 	static char *path = NULL;
-	char *gspath, *h;
+	char *gspath;
+	const char *h;
 	int pathlen;
 
 	if (path)
diff --git a/WINGs/wbrowser.c b/WINGs/wbrowser.c
index d49ce1f9..4465b73c 100644
--- a/WINGs/wbrowser.c
+++ b/WINGs/wbrowser.c
@@ -619,11 +619,12 @@ void WMSetBrowserHasScroller(WMBrowser * bPtr, int hasScroller)
 	bPtr->flags.hasScroller = hasScroller;
 }
 
-char *WMSetBrowserPath(WMBrowser * bPtr, char *path)
+const char *WMSetBrowserPath(WMBrowser * bPtr, const char *path)
 {
 	int i;
 	char *str;
-	char *tmp, *retPtr = NULL;
+	char *tmp;
+	const char *retPtr = NULL;
 	int item;
 	WMListItem *listItem;
 
diff --git a/WINGs/wfilepanel.c b/WINGs/wfilepanel.c
index d3cee19d..c1cb16ac 100644
--- a/WINGs/wfilepanel.c
+++ b/WINGs/wfilepanel.c
@@ -343,7 +343,7 @@ void WMFreeFilePanel(WMFilePanel * panel)
 }
 
 int
-WMRunModalFilePanelForDirectory(WMFilePanel * panel, WMWindow * owner, char *path, const char *name, char **fileTypes)
+WMRunModalFilePanelForDirectory(WMFilePanel * panel, WMWindow * owner, const char *path, const char *name, char **fileTypes)
 {
 	WMScreen *scr = WMWidgetScreen(panel->win);
 
@@ -387,12 +387,12 @@ WMRunModalFilePanelForDirectory(WMFilePanel * panel, WMWindow * owner, char *pat
 	return (panel->flags.canceled ? False : True);
 }
 
-void WMSetFilePanelDirectory(WMFilePanel * panel, char *path)
+void WMSetFilePanelDirectory(WMFilePanel * panel, const char *path)
 {
 	WMList *list;
 	WMListItem *item;
 	int col;
-	char *rest;
+	const char *rest;
 
 	rest = WMSetBrowserPath(panel->browser, path);
 	if (strcmp(path, "/") == 0)
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ static void goFloppy(WMWidget *widget, void *p_panel)
 static void goHome(WMWidget *widget, void *p_panel)
 {
 	WMFilePanel *panel = p_panel;
-	char *home;
+	const char *home;
 
 	/* Parameter not used, but tell the compiler that it is ok */
 	(void) widget;