diff --git a/gst/gstutils.c b/gst/gstutils.c
index 3a8c172fc9..2e0519df78 100644
--- a/gst/gstutils.c
+++ b/gst/gstutils.c
@@ -2438,10 +2438,12 @@ gst_pad_get_parent_element (GstPad * pad)
  * The default handler will simply print the error string using g_print.
  */
 void
-gst_object_default_error (GstObject * source, GError * error, gchar * debug)
+gst_object_default_error (GstObject * source, const GError * error,
+    const gchar * debug)
 {
   gchar *name = gst_object_get_path_string (source);
 
+  /* FIXME 0.11: should change this to g_printerr() */
   g_print (_("ERROR: from element %s: %s\n"), name, error->message);
   if (debug)
     g_print (_("Additional debug info:\n%s\n"), debug);
diff --git a/gst/gstutils.h b/gst/gstutils.h
index 14d0f8a8b0..1c28f1e65a 100644
--- a/gst/gstutils.h
+++ b/gst/gstutils.h
@@ -992,8 +992,9 @@ GST_WRITE_DOUBLE_BE(guint8 *data, gdouble num)
  */
 #define GST_ROUND_DOWN_64(num) ((num)&(~63))
 
-void			gst_object_default_error	(GstObject * source,
-							 GError * error, gchar * debug);
+void			gst_object_default_error	(GstObject    * source,
+							 const GError * error,
+							 const gchar  * debug);
 
 /* element functions */
 void                    gst_element_create_all_pads     (GstElement *element);