diff --git a/kdc/misc.c b/kdc/misc.c
index be4d0588e..e4b2b272f 100644
--- a/kdc/misc.c
+++ b/kdc/misc.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ struct timeval _kdc_now;
 krb5_error_code
 _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
 	      krb5_kdc_configuration *config,
-	      krb5_principal principal,
+	      krb5_const_principal principal,
 	      hdb_entry_ex **h)
 {
     hdb_entry_ex *ent;
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@ _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
     ent = calloc (1, sizeof (*ent));
     if (ent == NULL)
 	return ENOMEM;
-    ent->entry.principal = principal;
 
     for(i = 0; i < config->num_db; i++) {
 	ret = config->db[i]->hdb_open(context, config->db[i], O_RDONLY, 0);
@@ -61,6 +60,7 @@ _kdc_db_fetch(krb5_context context,
 	}
 	ret = config->db[i]->hdb_fetch(context, 
 				       config->db[i],
+				       principal,
 				       HDB_F_DECRYPT,
 				       ent);
 	config->db[i]->hdb_close(context, config->db[i]);