diff --git a/ext/flite/gstflitetestsrc.c b/ext/flite/gstflitetestsrc.c
index 33fd7938ae..c31fb96dc6 100644
--- a/ext/flite/gstflitetestsrc.c
+++ b/ext/flite/gstflitetestsrc.c
@@ -401,11 +401,11 @@ gst_flite_test_src_stop (GstBaseSrc * basesrc)
 static char *
 get_channel_name (GstFliteTestSrc * src, int channel)
 {
-  const char *numbers[10] = {
+  static const char *numbers[10] = {
     "zero", "one", "two", "three", "four", "five", "six", "seven", "eight",
     "nine"
   };
-  const char *names[64] = {
+  static const char *names[64] = {
     "front left", "front right", "front center", "lfe 1", "rear left",
     "rear right", "front left of center", "front right of center",
     "rear center", "lfe 2", "side left", "side right", "top front left",