diff --git a/gst/gstpipeline.c b/gst/gstpipeline.c
index f42d82bd2b..f2772d488d 100644
--- a/gst/gstpipeline.c
+++ b/gst/gstpipeline.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ gst_pipeline_init (GstPipeline *pipeline)
  * Returns: newly created GstPipeline
  */
 GstElement*
-gst_pipeline_new (guchar *name)
+gst_pipeline_new (const guchar *name)
 {
   return gst_elementfactory_make ("pipeline", name);
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstpipeline.h b/gst/gstpipeline.h
index 3c13978e63..27f14e4526 100644
--- a/gst/gstpipeline.h
+++ b/gst/gstpipeline.h
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ struct _GstPipelineClass {
 };
 
 GtkType		gst_pipeline_get_type		(void);
-GstElement*	gst_pipeline_new		(guchar *name);
+GstElement*	gst_pipeline_new		(const guchar *name);
 #define		gst_pipeline_destroy(pipeline)	gst_object_destroy(GST_OBJECT(pipeline))
 
 void		gst_pipeline_iterate		(GstPipeline *pipeline);