diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index 602601c832..14bd352fea 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -1321,7 +1321,7 @@ gst_element_class_set_metadata (GstElementClass * klass,
  *
  * Returns: the metadata for @key.
  */
-G_CONST_RETURN gchar *
+const gchar *
 gst_element_class_get_metadata (GstElementClass * klass, const gchar * key)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT_CLASS (klass), NULL);
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 2e45ff8bd1..a9f2f000b0 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ void                    gst_element_class_set_metadata          (GstElementClass
                                                                  const gchar     *author);
 void                    gst_element_class_add_metadata          (GstElementClass * klass,
                                                                  const gchar * key, const gchar * value);
-G_CONST_RETURN gchar *  gst_element_class_get_metadata          (GstElementClass * klass,
+const gchar          *  gst_element_class_get_metadata          (GstElementClass * klass,
                                                                  const gchar * key);