diff --git a/gst/gstutils.c b/gst/gstutils.c
index 3b8618958d..8c962113e4 100644
--- a/gst/gstutils.c
+++ b/gst/gstutils.c
@@ -37,10 +37,11 @@
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 gint
-gst_util_get_int_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_int_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_INT);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_int(&value);
 }
@@ -55,10 +56,11 @@ gst_util_get_int_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 gint
-gst_util_get_bool_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_bool_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_BOOLEAN);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_boolean(&value);
 }
@@ -73,10 +75,11 @@ gst_util_get_bool_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 glong
-gst_util_get_long_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_long_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_LONG);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_long(&value);
 }
@@ -91,10 +94,11 @@ gst_util_get_long_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 gfloat
-gst_util_get_float_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_float_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_FLOAT);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_float(&value);
 }
@@ -109,10 +113,11 @@ gst_util_get_float_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 gdouble 
-gst_util_get_double_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_double_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_DOUBLE);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_double(&value);
 }
@@ -126,11 +131,12 @@ gst_util_get_double_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  *
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
-gchar*
-gst_util_get_string_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+const gchar*
+gst_util_get_string_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_STRING);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_string(&value);
 }
@@ -145,10 +151,11 @@ gst_util_get_string_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  * Returns: the property of the object
  */
 gpointer
-gst_util_get_pointer_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_pointer_arg (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GValue value;
 
+  g_value_init (&value, G_TYPE_POINTER);
   g_object_get_property(G_OBJECT(object),argname,&value);
   return g_value_get_pointer(&value);
 }
@@ -164,7 +171,7 @@ gst_util_get_pointer_arg (GObject *object,gchar *argname)
  */
 /* COMMENTED OUT BECAUSE WE HAVE NO MORE gtk.h
 GtkWidget*
-gst_util_get_widget_property (GObject *object,gchar *argname) 
+gst_util_get_widget_property (GObject *object, const gchar *argname) 
 {
   GtkArg arg;
 
@@ -212,7 +219,7 @@ gst_util_dump_mem (guchar *mem, guint size)
  * sets the argument with it.
  */
 void
-gst_util_set_object_arg (GObject *object, gchar *name, gchar *value) 
+gst_util_set_object_arg (GObject *object,  const gchar *name,  const gchar *value) 
 {
   if (name && value) {
     GParamSpec *paramspec;
diff --git a/gst/gstutils.h b/gst/gstutils.h
index 85290d8c17..3ff882bfbb 100644
--- a/gst/gstutils.h
+++ b/gst/gstutils.h
@@ -30,16 +30,16 @@
 extern "C" {
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
 
-gint 		gst_util_get_int_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-gboolean	gst_util_get_bool_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-glong 		gst_util_get_long_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-gfloat 		gst_util_get_float_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-gdouble 	gst_util_get_double_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-gchar*		gst_util_get_string_arg		(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
-gpointer 	gst_util_get_pointer_arg	(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
+gint 		gst_util_get_int_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+gboolean	gst_util_get_bool_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+glong 		gst_util_get_long_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+gfloat 		gst_util_get_float_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+gdouble 	gst_util_get_double_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+const gchar*	gst_util_get_string_arg		(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
+gpointer 	gst_util_get_pointer_arg	(GObject *object, const gchar *argname);
 //GtkWidget*	gst_util_get_widget_property	(GObject *object, gchar *argname);
 
-void 		gst_util_set_object_arg 	(GObject *object, gchar *name, gchar *value);
+void 		gst_util_set_object_arg 	(GObject *object, const gchar *name, const gchar *value);
 	
 void 		gst_util_dump_mem		(guchar *mem, guint size);