diff --git a/src/dialog.h b/src/dialog.h
index a7798efac..458aaa4f0 100644
--- a/src/dialog.h
+++ b/src/dialog.h
@@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ typedef struct Dlg_head {
 
     /* Set by the user */
     int flags;			/* User flags */
-    char *help_ctx;		/* Name of the help entry */
+    const char *help_ctx;	/* Name of the help entry */
     const int *color;		/* Color set */
-    char *title;		/* Title of the dialog */
+    const char *title;		/* Title of the dialog */
 
     /* Set and received by the user */
     int ret_value;		/* Result of run_dlg() */
diff --git a/src/main.c b/src/main.c
index 080aa9cf4..8b03543e5 100644
--- a/src/main.c
+++ b/src/main.c
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static int edit_one_file_start_line = 0;
 int midnight_shutdown = 0;
 
 /* The user's shell */
-char *shell = NULL;
+const char *shell = NULL;
 
 /* mc_home: The home of MC */
 char *mc_home = NULL;
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ reload_panelized (WPanel *panel)
 
 static void
 update_one_panel_widget (WPanel *panel, int force_update,
-			 char *current_file)
+			 const char *current_file)
 {
     int free_pointer;
 
@@ -367,7 +367,7 @@ panel_clean_dir (WPanel *panel)
 }
 
 static void
-update_one_panel (int which, int force_update, char *current_file)
+update_one_panel (int which, int force_update, const char *current_file)
 {
     WPanel *panel;
 
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ update_one_panel (int which, int force_update, char *current_file)
  * will not reload the other panel.
 */
 void
-update_panels (int force_update, char *current_file)
+update_panels (int force_update, const char *current_file)
 {
     int reload_other = !(force_update & UP_ONLY_CURRENT);
     WPanel *panel;
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@ save_cwds_stat (void)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SUBSHELL_SUPPORT
 void
-do_possible_cd (char *new_dir)
+do_possible_cd (const char *new_dir)
 {
     if (!do_cd (new_dir, cd_exact))
 	message (1, _("Warning"),
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ repaint_screen (void)
 
 /* Wrapper for do_subshell_chdir, check for availability of subshell */
 void
-subshell_chdir (char *directory)
+subshell_chdir (const char *directory)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_SUBSHELL_SUPPORT
     if (use_subshell) {
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ directory_history_add (struct WPanel *panel, const char *dir)
  *  You do _NOT_ want to add any vfs aware code here. <pavel@ucw.cz>
  */
 static char *
-get_parent_dir_name (char *cwd, char *lwd)
+get_parent_dir_name (const char *cwd, const char *lwd)
 {
     char *p;
     if (strlen (lwd) > strlen (cwd))
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ get_parent_dir_name (char *cwd, char *lwd)
  * Don't record change in the directory history.
  */
 static int
-_do_panel_cd (WPanel *panel, char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
+_do_panel_cd (WPanel *panel, const char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
 {
     char *directory, *olddir;
     char temp[MC_MAXPATHLEN];
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ _do_panel_cd (WPanel *panel, char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
  * Record change in the directory history.
  */
 int
-do_panel_cd (struct WPanel *panel, char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
+do_panel_cd (struct WPanel *panel, const char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
 {
     int r;
 
@@ -629,7 +629,7 @@ do_panel_cd (struct WPanel *panel, char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type)
 }
 
 int
-do_cd (char *new_dir, enum cd_enum exact)
+do_cd (const char *new_dir, enum cd_enum exact)
 {
     return (do_panel_cd (current_panel, new_dir, exact));
 }
@@ -2088,7 +2088,7 @@ handle_args (int argc, char *argv[])
  */
 
 static int
-do_mc_filename_rename (char *mc_dir, char *o_name, char *n_name)
+do_mc_filename_rename (const char *mc_dir, const char *o_name, const char *n_name)
 {
     char *full_o_name = concat_dir_and_file (home_dir, o_name);
     char *full_n_name = g_strconcat (home_dir, MC_BASE, n_name, NULL);
diff --git a/src/main.h b/src/main.h
index 3dfdfb601..4abea684a 100644
--- a/src/main.h
+++ b/src/main.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ extern volatile int quit;
 /* If true, after executing a command, wait for a keystroke */
 enum { pause_never, pause_on_dumb_terminals, pause_always };
 
-void subshell_chdir (char *command);
+void subshell_chdir (const char *command);
 
 /* See main.c for details on these variables */
 extern int mark_moves_down;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ extern int only_leading_plus_minus;
 extern int output_starts_shell;
 extern int midnight_shutdown;
 extern char cmd_buf [512];
-extern char *shell;
+extern const char *shell;
 
 /* Ugly hack in order to distinguish between left and right panel in menubar */
 extern int is_right;		/* If the selected menu was the right */
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ typedef struct {
     key_callback fn;
 } key_map;
 
-void update_panels (int force_update, char *current_file);
+void update_panels (int force_update, const char *current_file);
 void repaint_screen (void);
 void do_update_prompt (void);
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ enum cd_enum {
     cd_exact
 };
 
-int do_cd           (char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type);	/* For find.c */
+int do_cd           (const char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type); /* For find.c */
 void change_panel   (void);
 int load_prompt     (int fd, void *unused);
 void save_cwds_stat (void);
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ extern char *mc_home;
 char *get_mc_lib_dir (void);
 
 int maybe_cd (int char_code, int move_up_dir);
-void do_possible_cd (char *dir);
+void do_possible_cd (const char *dir);
 
 #ifdef WANT_WIDGETS
 extern WButtonBar *the_bar;
@@ -127,6 +127,6 @@ void init_menu (void);
 
 struct WPanel;
 void directory_history_add   (struct WPanel *panel, const char *dir);
-int  do_panel_cd             (struct WPanel *panel, char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type);
+int  do_panel_cd             (struct WPanel *panel, const char *new_dir, enum cd_enum cd_type);
 
 #endif /* !__MAIN_H */
diff --git a/src/menu.h b/src/menu.h
index e8d9ba4b9..69da58785 100644
--- a/src/menu.h
+++ b/src/menu.h
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ typedef void (*callfn) (void);
 
 typedef struct {
     char first_letter;
-    char *text;
+    const char *text;
     int  hot_key;
     callfn call_back;
 } menu_entry;
diff --git a/src/popt.h b/src/popt.h
index bde2959ba..fe7d5773e 100644
--- a/src/popt.h
+++ b/src/popt.h
@@ -57,8 +57,8 @@ struct poptOption {
     int argInfo;
     void * arg;			/* depends on argInfo */
     int val;			/* 0 means don't return, just update flag */
-    char * descrip;		/* description for autohelp -- may be NULL */
-    char * argDescrip;		/* argument description for autohelp */
+    const char * descrip;	/* description for autohelp -- may be NULL */
+    const char * argDescrip;	/* argument description for autohelp */
 };
 
 struct poptAlias {
diff --git a/src/screen.c b/src/screen.c
index 09ef089be..622179e34 100644
--- a/src/screen.c
+++ b/src/screen.c
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ do_select (WPanel *panel, int i)
 }
 
 static inline void
-do_try_to_select (WPanel *panel, char *name)
+do_try_to_select (WPanel *panel, const char *name)
 {
     int i;
     char *subdir;
diff --git a/vfs/mcfsutil.c b/vfs/mcfsutil.c
index b64ea3921..e1ebb55e8 100644
--- a/vfs/mcfsutil.c
+++ b/vfs/mcfsutil.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ socket_read_block (int sock, char *dest, int len)
 }
 
 int
-socket_write_block (int sock, char *buffer, int len)
+socket_write_block (int sock, const char *buffer, int len)
 {
     int left, status;
 
diff --git a/vfs/mcfsutil.h b/vfs/mcfsutil.h
index b382ef874..a9bd17d09 100644
--- a/vfs/mcfsutil.h
+++ b/vfs/mcfsutil.h
@@ -19,5 +19,5 @@ enum {
 int rpc_get (int sock, ...);
 int rpc_send (int sock, ...);
 int socket_read_block (int sock, char *dest, int len);
-int socket_write_block (int sock, char *buffer, int len);
+int socket_write_block (int sock, const char *buffer, int len);
 #endif				/* !__MCFSUTIL_H */
diff --git a/vfs/mcserv.c b/vfs/mcserv.c
index 1c5e57b23..bc993dcff 100644
--- a/vfs/mcserv.c
+++ b/vfs/mcserv.c
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ static struct pam_conv conv = { &mc_pam_conversation, NULL };
 
 /* Return 0 if authentication failed, 1 otherwise */
 static int
-mc_pam_auth (char *username, char *password)
+mc_pam_auth (const char *username, const char *password)
 {
     pam_handle_t *pamh;
     struct user_pass up;
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ next_line (int socket)
 }
 
 static int
-ftp_answer (int sock, char *text)
+ftp_answer (int sock, const char *text)
 {
     char answer[4];
 
@@ -831,13 +831,13 @@ ftp_answer (int sock, char *text)
 }
 
 static int
-send_string (int sock, char *string)
+send_string (int sock, const char *string)
 {
     return socket_write_block (sock, string, strlen (string));
 }
 
 static int
-do_ftp_auth (char *username, char *password)
+do_ftp_auth (const char *username, const char *password)
 {
     struct sockaddr_in local_address;
     unsigned long inaddr;
@@ -892,10 +892,10 @@ do_ftp_auth (char *username, char *password)
 
 #ifdef HAVE_CRYPT
 static int
-do_classic_auth (char *username, char *password)
+do_classic_auth (const char *username, const char *password)
 {
     int ret = 0;
-    char *encr_pwd = NULL;
+    const char *encr_pwd = NULL;
     struct passwd *pw;
 #ifdef HAVE_SHADOW
     struct spwd *spw;
@@ -934,7 +934,7 @@ do_classic_auth (char *username, char *password)
    - try to contact the local ftp server and login (if -f flag used)
 */
 static int
-do_auth (char *username, char *password)
+do_auth (const char *username, const char *password)
 {
     int auth = 0;
     struct passwd *this;
@@ -1088,7 +1088,7 @@ do_login (void)
 /* This structure must be kept in synch with mcfs.h enums */
 
 static const struct _command {
-    char *command;
+    const char *command;
     void (*callback) (void);
 } commands[] = {
     {
@@ -1178,7 +1178,7 @@ server (int sock)
 
 /* {{{ Net support code */
 
-static char *
+static const char *
 get_client (int portnum)
 {
     int sock, clilen, newsocket;
@@ -1295,7 +1295,7 @@ register_port (int portnum, int abort_if_fail)
 int
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
-    char *result;
+    const char *result;
     int c;
 
     while ((c = getopt (argc, argv, "fdiqp:v")) != -1) {