diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
index d49f59085..4ba9463d7 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86AutoConfig.c
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ listPossibleVideoDrivers(XF86MatchedDrivers *md)
     }
 #endif
 #ifdef __sparc__
-    char *sbusDriver = sparcDriverName();
+    const char *sbusDriver = sparcDriverName();
 
     if (sbusDriver)
         xf86AddMatchedDriver(md, sbusDriver);
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86sbusBus.h b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86sbusBus.h
index 9cfcbc574..c4591d9db 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/common/xf86sbusBus.h
+++ b/hw/xfree86/common/xf86sbusBus.h
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ extern _X_EXPORT int sparcPromGetBool(sbusPromNodePtr pnode, const char *prop);
 extern _X_EXPORT void sparcPromAssignNodes(void);
 extern _X_EXPORT char *sparcPromNode2Pathname(sbusPromNodePtr pnode);
 extern _X_EXPORT int sparcPromPathname2Node(const char *pathName);
-extern _X_EXPORT char *sparcDriverName(void);
+extern _X_EXPORT const char *sparcDriverName(void);
 
 extern Bool xf86SbusConfigure(void *busData, sbusDevicePtr sBus);
 extern void xf86SbusConfigureNewDev(void *busData, sbusDevicePtr sBus,
diff --git a/hw/xfree86/os-support/bus/Sbus.c b/hw/xfree86/os-support/bus/Sbus.c
index e27a13dfa..d7df43277 100644
--- a/hw/xfree86/os-support/bus/Sbus.c
+++ b/hw/xfree86/os-support/bus/Sbus.c
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ sparcPromGetBool(sbusPromNodePtr pnode, const char *prop)
     return promGetBool(prop);
 }
 
-static char *
+static const char *
 promWalkGetDriverName(int node, int oldnode)
 {
     int nextnode;
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ promWalkGetDriverName(int node, int oldnode)
 
     nextnode = promGetChild(node);
     if (nextnode) {
-        char *name;
+        const char *name;
 
         name = promWalkGetDriverName(nextnode, node);
         if (name)
@@ -288,10 +288,10 @@ promWalkGetDriverName(int node, int oldnode)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-char *
+const char *
 sparcDriverName(void)
 {
-    char *name;
+    const char *name;
 
     if (sparcPromInit() < 0)
         return NULL;
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ sparcPromAssignNodes(void)
         int fbNum, devId;
         static struct {
             int devId;
-            char *prefix;
+            const char *prefix;
         } procFbPrefixes[] = {
             {SBUS_DEVICE_BW2, "BWtwo"},
             {SBUS_DEVICE_CG14, "CGfourteen"},