diff --git a/appl/telnet/telnetd/ext.h b/appl/telnet/telnetd/ext.h
index c423caede..285b4c967 100644
--- a/appl/telnet/telnetd/ext.h
+++ b/appl/telnet/telnetd/ext.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void netclear (void);
 void netflush (void);
 void writenet (unsigned char *ptr, int len);
 void fatal (int f, char *msg);
-void fatalperror (int f, char *msg);
+void fatalperror (int f, const char *msg);
 void edithost (char *pat, char *host);
 void putstr (char *s);
 void putchr (int cc);
diff --git a/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c b/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
index b95d7f2f8..7c3b39610 100644
--- a/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
+++ b/appl/telnet/telnetd/utility.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ void fatal(int f, char *msg)
 }
 
 void
-fatalperror(int f, char *msg)
+fatalperror(int f, const char *msg)
 {
     char buf[BUFSIZ];