diff --git a/bin/ps/keyword.c b/bin/ps/keyword.c
index 823018f12ba..40986550b92 100644
--- a/bin/ps/keyword.c
+++ b/bin/ps/keyword.c
@@ -305,10 +305,7 @@ parsefmt(const char *p, struct velisthead *const var_list,
 				vent->header = hp;
 		}
 		vent->width = strlen(vent->header);
-		vent->var = malloc(sizeof(*vent->var));
-		if (vent->var == NULL)
-			xo_errx(1, "malloc failed");
-		memcpy(vent->var, v, sizeof(*vent->var));
+		vent->var = v;
 		STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(var_list, vent, next_ve);
 	}
 	free(tempstr1);
diff --git a/bin/ps/print.c b/bin/ps/print.c
index d7d3fd1339d..a3f8f244648 100644
--- a/bin/ps/print.c
+++ b/bin/ps/print.c
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ static char sccsid[] = "@(#)print.c	8.6 (Berkeley) 4/16/94";
 void
 printheader(void)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 	struct varent *vent;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(vent, &varlist, next_ve)
@@ -745,7 +745,7 @@ priorityr(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve __unused)
  * structures.
  */
 static char *
-printval(void *bp, VAR *v)
+printval(void *bp, const VAR *v)
 {
 	static char ofmt[32] = "%";
 	const char *fcp;
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ printval(void *bp, VAR *v)
 char *
 kvar(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	v = ve->var;
 	return (printval((char *)((char *)k->ki_p + v->off), v));
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ kvar(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve)
 char *
 rvar(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	v = ve->var;
 	if (!k->ki_valid)
diff --git a/bin/ps/ps.c b/bin/ps/ps.c
index 44e6ecd3249..fe100170b7e 100644
--- a/bin/ps/ps.c
+++ b/bin/ps/ps.c
@@ -1217,7 +1217,7 @@ static void
 scanvars(void)
 {
 	struct varent *vent;
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(vent, &varlist, next_ve) {
 		v = vent->var;
@@ -1232,7 +1232,7 @@ static void
 format_output(KINFO *ki)
 {
 	struct varent *vent;
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 	KINFO_STR *ks;
 	char *str;
 	u_int len;
diff --git a/bin/ps/ps.h b/bin/ps/ps.h
index 838aea33f3a..800e732262e 100644
--- a/bin/ps/ps.h
+++ b/bin/ps/ps.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ typedef struct kinfo {
 typedef struct varent {
 	STAILQ_ENTRY(varent)	 next_ve;
 	const char		*header;
-	struct var		*var;
+	const struct var	*var;
 	u_int			 width;
 } VARENT;
 STAILQ_HEAD(velisthead, varent);