diff --git a/epan/uat.c b/epan/uat.c
index e4b5ba235a..adf9988232 100644
--- a/epan/uat.c
+++ b/epan/uat.c
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void uat_foreach_table(uat_cb_t cb,void* user_data) {
 
 void uat_load_all(void) {
     guint i;
-    gchar* err;
+    const gchar* err;
 
     for (i=0; i < all_uats->len; i++) {
         uat_t* u = g_ptr_array_index(all_uats,i);
diff --git a/epan/uat.h b/epan/uat.h
index 6a50aeb3d8..efdc1b8c77 100644
--- a/epan/uat.h
+++ b/epan/uat.h
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ uat_t* uat_new(const char* name,
  *
  * @return TRUE on success, FALSE on failure.
  */
-gboolean uat_load(uat_t* uat_in, char** err);
+gboolean uat_load(uat_t* uat_in, const char** err);
 
 /** Create or update a single uat entry using a string.
  *
diff --git a/epan/uat_load.l b/epan/uat_load.l
index 83ee82a69b..f42ed376ad 100644
--- a/epan/uat_load.l
+++ b/epan/uat_load.l
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ comment #[^\n]*\n
 
 
 gboolean
-uat_load(uat_t *uat_in, char **errx)
+uat_load(uat_t *uat_in, const char **errx)
 {
 	gchar *fname = uat_get_actual_filename(uat_in, FALSE);
 
diff --git a/ui/gtk/uat_gui.c b/ui/gtk/uat_gui.c
index ea6e8353a2..abcaae80f6 100644
--- a/ui/gtk/uat_gui.c
+++ b/ui/gtk/uat_gui.c
@@ -732,7 +732,7 @@ static void uat_apply_changes(uat_t *uat) {
 
 static void uat_cancel_cb(GtkWidget *button _U_, gpointer u) {
 	uat_t *uat = u;
-	gchar *err = NULL;
+	const gchar *err = NULL;
 
 	if (uat->changed) {
 		uat_clear(uat);
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@ static void uat_clear_cb(GtkButton *button _U_, gpointer u) {
 
 static void uat_refresh_cb(GtkButton *button _U_, gpointer u) {
 	uat_t *uat = u;
-	gchar *err = NULL;
+	const gchar *err = NULL;
 	guint  i;
 
 	uat_clear_cb(button, u);