diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux_sysctl.c b/sys/compat/linux/linux_sysctl.c
index 65c64a7ba56..97341c051af 100644
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux_sysctl.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux_sysctl.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ LIN_SDT_PROBE_DEFINE1(sysctl, linux_sysctl, unsupported_sysctl, "char *");
 
 #ifdef LINUX_LEGACY_SYSCALLS
 static int
-handle_string(struct l___sysctl_args *la, char *value)
+handle_string(struct l___sysctl_args *la, const char *value)
 {
 	int error;