diff --git a/src/util.c b/src/util.c
index c8fe6b27..c9191212 100644
--- a/src/util.c
+++ b/src/util.c
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ char *str(char *fmt, ...)
 	return buf;
 }
 
-int getuser(char *username, char **home)
+int getuser(const char *username, char **home)
 {
 #ifdef ENABLE_STATIC
 	if (home)
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ int getuser(char *username, char **home)
 #endif
 }
 
-int getgroup(char *group)
+int getgroup(const char *group)
 {
 #ifdef ENABLE_STATIC
 	return fgetint("/etc/group", "x:\n", group);
diff --git a/src/util.h b/src/util.h
index 1624a49d..260bd9f5 100644
--- a/src/util.h
+++ b/src/util.h
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ const char *basenm (const char *path);
 
 char *str          (char *fmt, ...)                        __attribute__ ((format (printf, 1, 2)));
 
-int   getuser      (char *username, char **home);
-int   getgroup     (char *group);
+int   getuser      (const char *username, char **home);
+int   getgroup     (const char *group);
 
 int   getcuser     (char *buf, size_t len);
 int   getcgroup    (char *buf, size_t len);