diff --git a/gst/gstelementfactory.c b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
index 18431d0b36..cc0713d7c4 100644
--- a/gst/gstelementfactory.c
+++ b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
@@ -273,8 +273,12 @@ gst_element_register (GstPlugin * plugin, const gchar * name, guint rank,
       factory->uri_type = iface->get_type (factory->type);
     if (!GST_URI_TYPE_IS_VALID (factory->uri_type))
       goto urierror;
-    if (iface->get_protocols)
-      factory->uri_protocols = iface->get_protocols (factory->type);
+    if (iface->get_protocols) {
+      const gchar *const *protocols;
+
+      protocols = iface->get_protocols (factory->type);
+      factory->uri_protocols = g_strdupv ((gchar **) protocols);
+    }
     if (!factory->uri_protocols)
       goto urierror;
   }
@@ -577,12 +581,12 @@ gst_element_factory_get_uri_type (GstElementFactory * factory)
  * Returns: (transfer none) (array zero-terminated=1): the supported protocols
  *     or NULL
  */
-gchar **
+const gchar *const *
 gst_element_factory_get_uri_protocols (GstElementFactory * factory)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT_FACTORY (factory), NULL);
 
-  return factory->uri_protocols;
+  return (const gchar * const *) factory->uri_protocols;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/gst/gstelementfactory.h b/gst/gstelementfactory.h
index a7ecec58e7..62a80ac15f 100644
--- a/gst/gstelementfactory.h
+++ b/gst/gstelementfactory.h
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ guint                   gst_element_factory_get_num_pad_templates (GstElementFac
 const GList *           gst_element_factory_get_static_pad_templates (GstElementFactory *factory);
 
 GstURIType              gst_element_factory_get_uri_type        (GstElementFactory *factory);
-gchar **                gst_element_factory_get_uri_protocols   (GstElementFactory *factory);
+const gchar * const *   gst_element_factory_get_uri_protocols   (GstElementFactory *factory);
 
 gboolean                gst_element_factory_has_interface       (GstElementFactory *factory,
                                                                  const gchar *interfacename);
diff --git a/gst/gsturi.c b/gst/gsturi.c
index 359fba8572..6d49a39ed0 100644
--- a/gst/gsturi.c
+++ b/gst/gsturi.c
@@ -478,7 +478,7 @@ SearchEntry;
 static gboolean
 search_by_entry (GstPluginFeature * feature, gpointer search_entry)
 {
-  gchar **protocols;
+  const gchar *const *protocols;
   GstElementFactory *factory;
   SearchEntry *entry = (SearchEntry *) search_entry;
 
@@ -649,11 +649,11 @@ gst_uri_handler_get_uri_type (GstURIHandler * handler)
  *     supported protocols. Returns NULL if the @handler isn't implemented
  *     properly, or the @handler doesn't support any protocols.
  */
-gchar **
+const gchar *const *
 gst_uri_handler_get_protocols (GstURIHandler * handler)
 {
   GstURIHandlerInterface *iface;
-  gchar **ret;
+  const gchar *const *ret;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_URI_HANDLER (handler), NULL);
 
@@ -673,9 +673,9 @@ gst_uri_handler_get_protocols (GstURIHandler * handler)
  *
  * Gets the currently handled URI.
  *
- * Returns: (transfer none): the URI currently handled by the @handler.
+ * Returns: (transfer full): the URI currently handled by the @handler.
  *   Returns NULL if there are no URI currently handled. The
- *   returned string must not be modified or freed.
+ *   returned string must be freed with g_free() when no longer needed.
  */
 gchar *
 gst_uri_handler_get_uri (GstURIHandler * handler)
@@ -725,7 +725,8 @@ gst_uri_handler_set_uri (GstURIHandler * handler, const gchar * uri,
   protocol = gst_uri_get_protocol (uri);
 
   if (iface->get_protocols) {
-    gchar **p, **protocols;
+    const gchar *const *protocols;
+    const gchar *const *p;
     gboolean found_protocol = FALSE;
 
     protocols = iface->get_protocols (G_OBJECT_TYPE (handler));
diff --git a/gst/gsturi.h b/gst/gsturi.h
index 7435fc740b..ad9005cc60 100644
--- a/gst/gsturi.h
+++ b/gst/gsturi.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ struct _GstURIHandlerInterface {
   /*< public >*/
   /* querying capabilities */
   GstURIType		(* get_type)		(GType type);
-  gchar **		(* get_protocols)	(GType type);
+  const gchar * const *	(* get_protocols)	(GType type);
 
   /* using the interface */
   gchar *		(* get_uri)		(GstURIHandler * handler);
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ GstElement *	gst_element_make_from_uri	(const GstURIType type,
 GType		gst_uri_handler_get_type	(void);
 
 GstURIType	gst_uri_handler_get_uri_type	(GstURIHandler * handler);
-gchar **	gst_uri_handler_get_protocols	(GstURIHandler * handler);
+const gchar * const * gst_uri_handler_get_protocols	(GstURIHandler * handler);
 gchar *		gst_uri_handler_get_uri		(GstURIHandler * handler);
 gboolean	gst_uri_handler_set_uri		(GstURIHandler * handler,
 						 const gchar   * uri,