diff --git a/server/core/buffer.c b/server/core/buffer.c
index feed261b8..c876b4ec7 100644
--- a/server/core/buffer.c
+++ b/server/core/buffer.c
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ retblock:
  *              be allocated.
  */
 GWBUF *
-gwbuf_alloc_and_load(unsigned int size, void *data)
+gwbuf_alloc_and_load(unsigned int size, const void *data)
 {
     GWBUF      *rval;
     if ((rval = gwbuf_alloc(size)) != NULL)
diff --git a/server/include/buffer.h b/server/include/buffer.h
index 2235a6fbc..e5a7fa900 100644
--- a/server/include/buffer.h
+++ b/server/include/buffer.h
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ typedef struct gwbuf
  * Function prototypes for the API to maniplate the buffers
  */
 extern GWBUF            *gwbuf_alloc(unsigned int size);
-extern GWBUF            *gwbuf_alloc_and_load(unsigned int size, void *data);
+extern GWBUF            *gwbuf_alloc_and_load(unsigned int size, const void *data);
 extern void             gwbuf_free(GWBUF *buf);
 extern GWBUF            *gwbuf_clone(GWBUF *buf);
 extern GWBUF            *gwbuf_append(GWBUF *head, GWBUF *tail);