diff --git a/include/channel.h b/include/channel.h
index fcf226d58..ecdc03e84 100644
--- a/include/channel.h
+++ b/include/channel.h
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ extern int is_banned(struct Channel *chptr, struct Client *who,
 extern int is_quieted(struct Channel *chptr, struct Client *who,
 		     struct membership *msptr, const char *, const char *);
 extern int can_join(struct Client *source_p, struct Channel *chptr, char *key,
-		    char **forward);
+		    const char **forward);
 
 extern struct membership *find_channel_membership(struct Channel *, struct Client *);
 extern const char *find_channel_status(struct membership *msptr, int combine);
diff --git a/modules/core/m_join.c b/modules/core/m_join.c
index 052545269..c7c04b5b6 100644
--- a/modules/core/m_join.c
+++ b/modules/core/m_join.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ check_forward(struct Client *source_p, struct Channel *chptr,
 	     char *key, int *err)
 {
 	int depth = 0, i;
-	char *next = NULL;
+	const char *next = NULL;
 
 	/* The caller (m_join) is only interested in the reason
 	 * for the original channel.
diff --git a/src/channel.c b/src/channel.c
index e10611650..ac52b2b0e 100644
--- a/src/channel.c
+++ b/src/channel.c
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ is_quieted(struct Channel *chptr, struct Client *who, struct membership *msptr,
  * caveats      - this function should only be called on a local user.
  */
 int
-can_join(struct Client *source_p, struct Channel *chptr, char *key, char **forward)
+can_join(struct Client *source_p, struct Channel *chptr, char *key, const char **forward)
 {
 	rb_dlink_node *invite = NULL;
 	rb_dlink_node *ptr;