diff --git a/dbus/dbus-userdb-util.c b/dbus/dbus-userdb-util.c
index 44a1a78c..af880ed0 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-userdb-util.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-userdb-util.c
@@ -240,9 +240,9 @@ _dbus_get_user_id_and_primary_group (const DBusString  *username,
  * @param gid the group ID or #DBUS_GID_UNSET
  * @param groupname group name or #NULL 
  * @param error error to fill in
- * @returns the entry in the database
+ * @returns the entry in the database (borrowed, do not free)
  */
-DBusGroupInfo*
+const DBusGroupInfo *
 _dbus_user_database_lookup_group (DBusUserDatabase *db,
                                   dbus_gid_t        gid,
                                   const DBusString *groupname,
@@ -328,6 +328,8 @@ _dbus_user_database_lookup_group (DBusUserDatabase *db,
           return NULL;
         }
       
+      /* Return a borrowed reference to the DBusGroupInfo owned by the
+       * two hash tables */
       return info;
     }
 }
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-userdb.c b/dbus/dbus-userdb.c
index 4c42b7dd..223eaae6 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-userdb.c
+++ b/dbus/dbus-userdb.c
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ _dbus_is_a_number (const DBusString *str,
  * @param uid the user ID or #DBUS_UID_UNSET
  * @param username username or #NULL 
  * @param error error to fill in
- * @returns the entry in the database
+ * @returns the entry in the database (borrowed, do not free)
  */
-DBusUserInfo*
+const DBusUserInfo *
 _dbus_user_database_lookup (DBusUserDatabase *db,
                             dbus_uid_t        uid,
                             const DBusString *username,
@@ -211,6 +211,8 @@ _dbus_user_database_lookup (DBusUserDatabase *db,
           return NULL;
         }
       
+      /* Return a borrowed pointer to the DBusUserInfo owned by the
+       * hash tables */
       return info;
     }
 }
diff --git a/dbus/dbus-userdb.h b/dbus/dbus-userdb.h
index 53fc90b5..9e9ed88a 100644
--- a/dbus/dbus-userdb.h
+++ b/dbus/dbus-userdb.h
@@ -76,15 +76,15 @@ dbus_bool_t       _dbus_user_database_get_groupname (DBusUserDatabase     *db,
                                                      DBusError            *error);
 
 DBUS_PRIVATE_EXPORT
-DBusUserInfo*  _dbus_user_database_lookup       (DBusUserDatabase *db,
+const DBusUserInfo *_dbus_user_database_lookup  (DBusUserDatabase *db,
                                                  dbus_uid_t        uid,
                                                  const DBusString *username,
                                                  DBusError        *error);
 DBUS_PRIVATE_EXPORT
-DBusGroupInfo* _dbus_user_database_lookup_group (DBusUserDatabase *db,
-                                                 dbus_gid_t        gid,
-                                                 const DBusString *groupname,
-                                                 DBusError        *error);
+const DBusGroupInfo* _dbus_user_database_lookup_group (DBusUserDatabase *db,
+                                                       dbus_gid_t        gid,
+                                                       const DBusString *groupname,
+                                                       DBusError        *error);
 DBUS_PRIVATE_EXPORT
 void           _dbus_user_info_free_allocated   (DBusUserInfo     *info);
 DBUS_PRIVATE_EXPORT