diff --git a/drivers/base/platform.c b/drivers/base/platform.c
index bdd59e8358f0..48d5db4f92ee 100644
--- a/drivers/base/platform.c
+++ b/drivers/base/platform.c
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(platform_device_unregister);
  *	the Linux driver model.  In particular, when such drivers are built
  *	as modules, they can't be "hotplugged".
  */
-struct platform_device *platform_device_register_simple(char *name, int id,
+struct platform_device *platform_device_register_simple(const char *name, int id,
 							struct resource *res, unsigned int num)
 {
 	struct platform_device *pdev;
diff --git a/include/linux/platform_device.h b/include/linux/platform_device.h
index e80804316cdb..3261681c82a4 100644
--- a/include/linux/platform_device.h
+++ b/include/linux/platform_device.h
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ extern struct resource *platform_get_resource_byname(struct platform_device *, u
 extern int platform_get_irq_byname(struct platform_device *, char *);
 extern int platform_add_devices(struct platform_device **, int);
 
-extern struct platform_device *platform_device_register_simple(char *, int id,
+extern struct platform_device *platform_device_register_simple(const char *, int id,
 					struct resource *, unsigned int);
 
 extern struct platform_device *platform_device_alloc(const char *name, int id);