diff --git a/docs/README-migration.md b/docs/README-migration.md
index 3e1901817..165b44d4b 100644
--- a/docs/README-migration.md
+++ b/docs/README-migration.md
@@ -695,7 +695,7 @@ Rather than iterating over haptic devices using device index, there is a new fun
 {
     if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_HAPTIC) == 0) {
         int i, num_haptics;
-        SDL_HapticID *haptics = SDL_GetHaptics(&num_haptics);
+        const SDL_HapticID *haptics = SDL_GetHaptics(&num_haptics);
         if (haptics) {
             for (i = 0; i < num_haptics; ++i) {
                 SDL_HapticID instance_id = haptics[i];
@@ -704,7 +704,6 @@ Rather than iterating over haptic devices using device index, there is a new fun
                 SDL_Log("Haptic %" SDL_PRIu32 ": %s\n",
                         instance_id, name ? name : "Unknown");
             }
-            SDL_free(haptics);
         }
         SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_HAPTIC);
     }
diff --git a/include/SDL3/SDL_haptic.h b/include/SDL3/SDL_haptic.h
index 93c646f57..058541cb9 100644
--- a/include/SDL3/SDL_haptic.h
+++ b/include/SDL3/SDL_haptic.h
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@
  *    SDL_HapticID *haptics = SDL_GetHaptics(NULL);
  *    if (haptics) {
  *        haptic = SDL_OpenHaptic(haptics[0]);
- *        SDL_free(haptics);
  *    }
  *    if (haptic == NULL)
  *       return -1;
@@ -932,17 +931,18 @@ typedef Uint32 SDL_HapticID;
 /**
  * Get a list of currently connected haptic devices.
  *
+ * The returned array follows the SDL_GetStringRule, and will be automatically freed later.
+ *
  * \param count a pointer filled in with the number of haptic devices
- *              returned.
- * \returns a 0 terminated array of haptic device instance IDs which should be
- *          freed with SDL_free(), or NULL on failure; call SDL_GetError() for
+ *              returned, may be NULL.
+ * \returns a 0 terminated array of haptic device instance IDs or NULL on failure; call SDL_GetError() for
  *          more information.
  *
  * \since This function is available since SDL 3.0.0.
  *
  * \sa SDL_OpenHaptic
  */
-extern SDL_DECLSPEC SDL_HapticID * SDLCALL SDL_GetHaptics(int *count);
+extern SDL_DECLSPEC const SDL_HapticID * SDLCALL SDL_GetHaptics(int *count);
 
 /**
  * Get the implementation dependent name of a haptic device.
diff --git a/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h b/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
index 25c0d944b..f56c24ecc 100644
--- a/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
+++ b/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_Haptic*,SDL_GetHapticFromID,(SDL_HapticID a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_HapticID,SDL_GetHapticID,(SDL_Haptic *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(const char*,SDL_GetHapticName,(SDL_Haptic *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(const char*,SDL_GetHapticNameForID,(SDL_HapticID a),(a),return)
-SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_HapticID*,SDL_GetHaptics,(int *a),(a),return)
+SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(const SDL_HapticID*,SDL_GetHaptics,(int *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(const char*,SDL_GetHint,(const char *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_bool,SDL_GetHintBoolean,(const char *a, SDL_bool b),(a,b),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_PropertiesID,SDL_GetIOProperties,(SDL_IOStream *a),(a),return)
diff --git a/src/haptic/SDL_haptic.c b/src/haptic/SDL_haptic.c
index a1321bc2d..4d3ced531 100644
--- a/src/haptic/SDL_haptic.c
+++ b/src/haptic/SDL_haptic.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ static SDL_bool SDL_GetHapticIndex(SDL_HapticID instance_id, int *driver_index)
     return SDL_FALSE;
 }
 
-SDL_HapticID *SDL_GetHaptics(int *count)
+const SDL_HapticID *SDL_GetHaptics(int *count)
 {
     int device_index;
     int haptic_index = 0, num_haptics = 0;
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ SDL_HapticID *SDL_GetHaptics(int *count)
         }
     }
 
-    return haptics;
+    return SDL_FreeLater(haptics);
 }
 
 const char *SDL_GetHapticNameForID(SDL_HapticID instance_id)
diff --git a/test/testhaptic.c b/test/testhaptic.c
index 51017b9b8..77cb98a16 100644
--- a/test/testhaptic.c
+++ b/test/testhaptic.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     int id[9];
     int nefx;
     unsigned int supported;
-    SDL_HapticID *haptics;
+    const SDL_HapticID *haptics;
     int num_haptics;
 
     /* Initialize test framework */
@@ -91,7 +91,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (haptics) {
         if (num_haptics == 0) {
             SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "No Haptic devices found!\n");
-            SDL_free(haptics);
             return 1;
         }
 
@@ -101,7 +100,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             if (i >= num_haptics) {
                 SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Index out of range, aborting.\n");
-                SDL_free(haptics);
                 return 1;
             }
         }
@@ -115,7 +113,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             if (i >= num_haptics) {
                 SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Unable to find device matching '%s', aborting.\n", name);
-                SDL_free(haptics);
                 return 1;
             }
         }
@@ -123,12 +120,10 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         haptic = SDL_OpenHaptic(haptics[i]);
         if (!haptic) {
             SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Unable to create the haptic device: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
-            SDL_free(haptics);
             return 1;
         }
         SDL_Log("Device: %s\n", SDL_GetHapticName(haptic));
         HapticPrintSupported(haptic);
-        SDL_free(haptics);
     }
 
     /* We only want force feedback errors. */
diff --git a/test/testhotplug.c b/test/testhotplug.c
index ec635c1bf..461262c7a 100644
--- a/test/testhotplug.c
+++ b/test/testhotplug.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
     if (enable_haptic) {
         int num_haptics;
-        SDL_free(SDL_GetHaptics(&num_haptics));
+        SDL_GetHaptics(&num_haptics);
         SDL_Log("There are %d haptic devices at startup\n", num_haptics);
     }
 
diff --git a/test/testrumble.c b/test/testrumble.c
index ee957181c..a16fc3bfc 100644
--- a/test/testrumble.c
+++ b/test/testrumble.c
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     char *name = NULL;
     int index;
     SDLTest_CommonState *state;
-    SDL_HapticID *haptics;
+    const SDL_HapticID *haptics;
     int num_haptics;
 
     /* Initialize test framework */
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (haptics) {
         if (num_haptics == 0) {
             SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "No Haptic devices found!\n");
-            SDL_free(haptics);
             return 1;
         }
 
@@ -102,7 +101,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             if (i >= num_haptics) {
                 SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Index out of range, aborting.\n");
-                SDL_free(haptics);
                 return 1;
             }
         }
@@ -116,7 +114,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
             if (i >= num_haptics) {
                 SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Unable to find device matching '%s', aborting.\n", name);
-                SDL_free(haptics);
                 return 1;
             }
         }
@@ -124,11 +121,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         haptic = SDL_OpenHaptic(haptics[i]);
         if (!haptic) {
             SDL_LogError(SDL_LOG_CATEGORY_APPLICATION, "Unable to create the haptic device: %s\n", SDL_GetError());
-            SDL_free(haptics);
             return 1;
         }
         SDL_Log("Device: %s\n", SDL_GetHapticName(haptic));
-        SDL_free(haptics);
     }
 
     /* We only want force feedback errors. */