diff --git a/drivers/net/pcnet32.c b/drivers/net/pcnet32.c
index a1c454dbc164..1c89b97f4e09 100644
--- a/drivers/net/pcnet32.c
+++ b/drivers/net/pcnet32.c
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ static int pcnet32_get_regs_len(struct net_device *dev);
 static void pcnet32_get_regs(struct net_device *dev, struct ethtool_regs *regs,
 			     void *ptr);
 static void pcnet32_purge_tx_ring(struct net_device *dev);
-static int pcnet32_alloc_ring(struct net_device *dev, char *name);
+static int pcnet32_alloc_ring(struct net_device *dev, const char *name);
 static void pcnet32_free_ring(struct net_device *dev);
 static void pcnet32_check_media(struct net_device *dev, int verbose);
 
@@ -1983,7 +1983,7 @@ pcnet32_probe1(unsigned long ioaddr, int shared, struct pci_dev *pdev)
 }
 
 /* if any allocation fails, caller must also call pcnet32_free_ring */
-static int pcnet32_alloc_ring(struct net_device *dev, char *name)
+static int pcnet32_alloc_ring(struct net_device *dev, const char *name)
 {
 	struct pcnet32_private *lp = netdev_priv(dev);