diff --git a/build/files.c b/build/files.c
index 6860a01bc..868f03c50 100644
--- a/build/files.c
+++ b/build/files.c
@@ -2246,7 +2246,7 @@ int processSourceFiles(rpmSpec spec)
  */
 static int checkFiles(StringBuf fileList)
 {
-    static const char * av_ckfile[] = { "%{?__check_files}", NULL };
+    static char * const av_ckfile[] = { "%{?__check_files}", NULL };
     StringBuf sb_stdout = NULL;
     char * s;
     int rc;
diff --git a/build/rpmfc.c b/build/rpmfc.c
index f8925eddc..e7d0d8d44 100644
--- a/build/rpmfc.c
+++ b/build/rpmfc.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ struct rpmfcTokens_s {
 
 /**
  */
-static int rpmfcExpandAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, const ARGV_t av)
+static int rpmfcExpandAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, ARGV_const_t av)
 {
     ARGV_t argv = *argvp;
     int argc = argvCount(argv);
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ top:
     return readBuff;
 }
 
-int rpmfcExec(ARGV_t av, StringBuf sb_stdin, StringBuf * sb_stdoutp,
+int rpmfcExec(ARGV_const_t av, StringBuf sb_stdin, StringBuf * sb_stdoutp,
 		int failnonzero)
 {
     char * s = NULL;
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ static int rpmfcHelper(rpmfc fc, unsigned char deptype, const char * nsdep)
     char *buf = NULL;
     StringBuf sb_stdout = NULL;
     StringBuf sb_stdin;
-    const char *av[2];
+    char *av[2];
     rpmds * depsp, ds;
     const char * N;
     const char * EVR;
@@ -1343,7 +1343,7 @@ typedef struct DepMsg_s * DepMsg_t;
  */
 struct DepMsg_s {
     const char * msg;
-    const char * argv[4];
+    char * const argv[4];
     rpmTag ntag;
     rpmTag vtag;
     rpmTag ftag;
diff --git a/build/rpmfc.h b/build/rpmfc.h
index 3af976902..84808a3c3 100644
--- a/build/rpmfc.h
+++ b/build/rpmfc.h
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ typedef const struct rpmfcTokens_s * rpmfcToken;
  * @retval *sb_stdoutp	helper output
  * @param failnonzero	IS non-zero helper exit status a failure?
  */
-int rpmfcExec(ARGV_t av, StringBuf sb_stdin, StringBuf * sb_stdoutp,
+int rpmfcExec(ARGV_const_t av, StringBuf sb_stdin, StringBuf * sb_stdoutp,
 		int failnonzero);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmfc
diff --git a/lib/query.c b/lib/query.c
index 460e64446..2ef0a3a78 100644
--- a/lib/query.c
+++ b/lib/query.c
@@ -675,7 +675,7 @@ int rpmQueryVerify(QVA_t qva, rpmts ts, const char * arg)
     return res;
 }
 
-int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_t argv)
+int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     rpmRC rpmrc = RPMRC_NOTFOUND;
     int ec = 0;
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_t argv)
     return ec;
 }
 
-int rpmcliQuery(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv)
+int rpmcliQuery(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, char * const * argv)
 {
     rpmVSFlags vsflags, ovsflags;
     int ec = 0;
diff --git a/lib/rpmchecksig.c b/lib/rpmchecksig.c
index e5b16b871..79460313e 100644
--- a/lib/rpmchecksig.c
+++ b/lib/rpmchecksig.c
@@ -137,8 +137,7 @@ static int getSignid(Header sig, rpmSigTag sigtag, pgpKeyID_t signid)
  * @param argv		array of package file names (NULL terminated)
  * @return		0 on success
  */
-static int rpmReSign(rpmts ts,
-		QVA_t qva, const char ** argv)
+static int rpmReSign(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     FD_t fd = NULL;
     FD_t ofd = NULL;
@@ -398,9 +397,7 @@ exit:
  * @param argv		array of pubkey file names (NULL terminated)
  * @return		0 on success
  */
-static int rpmcliImportPubkeys(const rpmts ts,
-		QVA_t qva,
-		const char ** argv)
+static int rpmcliImportPubkeys(const rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     const char * fn;
     unsigned char * pkt = NULL;
@@ -797,7 +794,7 @@ exit:
     return res;
 }
 
-int rpmcliSign(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv)
+int rpmcliSign(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     const char * arg;
     int res = 0;
diff --git a/lib/rpmcli.h b/lib/rpmcli.h
index cd60d07d4..e8f348e70 100644
--- a/lib/rpmcli.h
+++ b/lib/rpmcli.h
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ int showQueryPackage(QVA_t qva, rpmts ts, Header h);
  * @param argv		query argument(s) (or NULL)
  * @return		0 on success, else no. of failures
  */
-int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_t argv);
+int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmcli
  * Display package information.
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ int rpmcliArgIter(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_t argv);
  * @param argv		query argument(s) (or NULL)
  * @return		0 on success, else no. of failures
  */
-int rpmcliQuery(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv);
+int rpmcliQuery(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmcli
  * Display results of package verify.
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ int rpmVerifySignatures(QVA_t qva, rpmts ts, FD_t fd, const char * fn);
  * @param argv		verify argument(s) (or NULL)
  * @return		0 on success, else no. of failures
  */
-int rpmcliVerify(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv);
+int rpmcliVerify(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 /* ==================================================================== */
 /** \name RPMBT */
@@ -436,9 +436,10 @@ struct rpmInstallArguments_s {
  * @param ia		mode flags and parameters
  * @param fileArgv	array of package file names (NULL terminated)
  * @return		0 on success
+ *
+ * @todo		fileArgv is modified on errors, should be ARGV_const_t
  */
-int rpmInstall(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia,
-		const char ** fileArgv);
+int rpmInstall(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia, ARGV_t fileArgv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmcli
  * Erase binary rpm package.
@@ -448,8 +449,7 @@ int rpmInstall(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia,
  * @return		0 on success
  */
 
-int rpmErase(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia,
-		const char ** argv);
+int rpmErase(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia, ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmcli
  */
@@ -506,7 +506,7 @@ extern struct poptOption rpmSignPoptTable[];
  * @param argv		array of arguments (NULL terminated)
  * @return		0 on success
  */
-int rpmcliSign(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv);
+int rpmcliSign(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/lib/rpmgi.c b/lib/rpmgi.c
index 0adddd14e..f4e144316 100644
--- a/lib/rpmgi.c
+++ b/lib/rpmgi.c
@@ -287,7 +287,7 @@ static rpmRC rpmgiWalkReadHeader(rpmgi gi)
  * @param argv		arg list to be globbed (or NULL)
  * @returns		RPMRC_OK on success
  */
-static rpmRC rpmgiGlobArgv(rpmgi gi, ARGV_t argv)
+static rpmRC rpmgiGlobArgv(rpmgi gi, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     const char * arg;
     rpmRC rpmrc = RPMRC_OK;
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ if (_rpmgi_debug < 0)
 fprintf(stderr, "*** gi %p\tmi %p\n", gi, gi->mi);
 
     if (gi->argv != NULL)
-    for (av = (const char **) gi->argv; *av != NULL; av++) {
+    for (av = gi->argv; *av != NULL; av++) {
 	rpmTag tag = RPMTAG_NAME;
 	const char * pat;
 	char * a, * ae;
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ rpmts rpmgiTs(rpmgi gi)
     return (gi != NULL ? gi->ts : NULL);
 }
 
-rpmRC rpmgiSetArgs(rpmgi gi, ARGV_t argv, int ftsOpts, rpmgiFlags flags)
+rpmRC rpmgiSetArgs(rpmgi gi, ARGV_const_t argv, int ftsOpts, rpmgiFlags flags)
 {
     gi->ftsOpts = ftsOpts;
     gi->flags = flags;
diff --git a/lib/rpmgi.h b/lib/rpmgi.h
index e693be001..8dfc6f249 100644
--- a/lib/rpmgi.h
+++ b/lib/rpmgi.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ rpmts rpmgiTs(rpmgi gi);
  * @param flags		iterator flags
  * @return 		RPMRC_OK on success
  */
-rpmRC rpmgiSetArgs(rpmgi gi, ARGV_t argv,
+rpmRC rpmgiSetArgs(rpmgi gi, ARGV_const_t argv,
 		int ftsOpts, rpmgiFlags flags);
 
 
diff --git a/lib/rpminstall.c b/lib/rpminstall.c
index fb249fa0e..41a94c5bd 100644
--- a/lib/rpminstall.c
+++ b/lib/rpminstall.c
@@ -187,21 +187,19 @@ void * rpmShowProgress(const void * arg,
     return rc;
 }	
 
-typedef const char * str_t;
-
 struct rpmEIU {
     Header h;
     FD_t fd;
     int numFailed;
     int numPkgs;
     char ** pkgURL;
-    str_t * fnp;
+    char ** fnp;
     char * pkgState;
     int prevx;
     int pkgx;
     int numRPMS;
     int numSRPMS;
-    str_t * sourceURL;
+    char ** sourceURL;
     int isSource;
     int argc;
     char ** argv;
@@ -210,9 +208,7 @@ struct rpmEIU {
 };
 
 /** @todo Generalize --freshen policies. */
-int rpmInstall(rpmts ts,
-		struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia,
-		const char ** fileArgv)
+int rpmInstall(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia, ARGV_t fileArgv)
 {
     struct rpmEIU * eiu = memset(alloca(sizeof(*eiu)), 0, sizeof(*eiu));
     rpmps ps;
@@ -378,7 +374,7 @@ if (fileURL[0] == '=') {
     if (eiu->numFailed) goto exit;
 
     /* Continue processing file arguments, building transaction set. */
-    for (eiu->fnp = (const char**) eiu->pkgURL+eiu->prevx;
+    for (eiu->fnp = eiu->pkgURL+eiu->prevx;
 	 *eiu->fnp != NULL;
 	 eiu->fnp++, eiu->prevx++)
     {
@@ -649,11 +645,10 @@ exit:
     return eiu->numFailed;
 }
 
-int rpmErase(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia,
-		const char ** argv)
+int rpmErase(rpmts ts, struct rpmInstallArguments_s * ia, ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     int count;
-    const char ** arg;
+    char * const * arg;
     int numFailed = 0;
     int stopUninstall = 0;
     int numPackages = 0;
diff --git a/lib/verify.c b/lib/verify.c
index d2d38c993..00f0d693e 100644
--- a/lib/verify.c
+++ b/lib/verify.c
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ int showVerifyPackage(QVA_t qva, rpmts ts, Header h)
     return ec;
 }
 
-int rpmcliVerify(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, const char ** argv)
+int rpmcliVerify(rpmts ts, QVA_t qva, char * const * argv)
 {
     rpmVSFlags vsflags, ovsflags;
     int ec = 0;
diff --git a/rpmio/argv.c b/rpmio/argv.c
index 2e26c93be..c55ecb0a0 100644
--- a/rpmio/argv.c
+++ b/rpmio/argv.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ ARGint_t argiData(const ARGI_t argi)
     return vals;
 }
 
-int argvCount(const ARGV_t argv)
+int argvCount(ARGV_const_t argv)
 {
     int argc = 0;
     if (argv)
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ int argvCount(const ARGV_t argv)
     return argc;
 }
 
-ARGV_t argvData(const ARGV_t argv)
+ARGV_t argvData(ARGV_t argv)
 {
     return argv;
 }
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ int argvSort(ARGV_t argv, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *))
     return 0;
 }
 
-ARGV_t argvSearch(ARGV_t argv, const char *val,
+ARGV_t argvSearch(ARGV_const_t argv, const char *val,
 		int (*compar)(const void *, const void *))
 {
     if (argv == NULL)
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ int argvAdd(ARGV_t * argvp, const char *val)
     return 0;
 }
 
-int argvAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, const ARGV_t av)
+int argvAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, ARGV_const_t av)
 {
     ARGV_t argv = *argvp;
     int argc = argvCount(argv);
diff --git a/rpmio/argv.h b/rpmio/argv.h
index 840cb19c4..426c568d7 100644
--- a/rpmio/argv.h
+++ b/rpmio/argv.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 typedef char ** ARGV_t;
+typedef char * const *ARGV_const_t;
 
 typedef	int * ARGint_t;
 struct ARGI_s {
@@ -61,14 +62,14 @@ ARGint_t argiData(const ARGI_t argi);
  * @param argv		argv array
  * @return		no. of elements
  */
-int argvCount(const ARGV_t argv);
+int argvCount(ARGV_const_t argv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmargv
  * Return data from argv array.
  * @param argv		argv array
  * @return		argv array data address
  */
-ARGV_t argvData(const ARGV_t argv);
+ARGV_t argvData(ARGV_t argv);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmargv
  * Compare argv arrays (qsort/bsearch).
@@ -93,7 +94,7 @@ int argvSort(ARGV_t argv, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *));
  * @param compar	strcmp-like comparison function, or NULL for argvCmp()
  * @return		found string (NULL on failure)
  */
-ARGV_t argvSearch(ARGV_t argv, const char *val,
+ARGV_t argvSearch(ARGV_const_t argv, const char *val,
 		int (*compar)(const void *, const void *));
 
 /** \ingroup rpmargv
@@ -119,7 +120,7 @@ int argvAdd(ARGV_t * argvp, const char *val);
  * @param av		argv array to append
  * @return		0 always
  */
-int argvAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, const ARGV_t av);
+int argvAppend(ARGV_t * argvp, ARGV_const_t av);
 
 /** \ingroup rpmargv
  * Split a string into an argv array.
diff --git a/rpmio/rpmfileutil.c b/rpmio/rpmfileutil.c
index 93f6dc8b1..6302901d6 100644
--- a/rpmio/rpmfileutil.c
+++ b/rpmio/rpmfileutil.c
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ static int open_dso(const char * path, pid_t * pidp, rpm_off_t *fsizep)
 	    xx = dup2(pipes[1], STDOUT_FILENO);
 	    xx = close(pipes[1]);
 	    if ((lib = argvSearch(av, "library", NULL)) != NULL) {
-		*lib = path;
+		*lib = (char *) path;
 		unsetenv("MALLOC_CHECK_");
-		xx = execve(av[0], (char *const *)av+1, environ);
+		xx = execve(av[0], av+1, environ);
 	    }
 	    _exit(127);
 	}
diff --git a/rpmqv.c b/rpmqv.c
index 4e54aae51..400b81687 100644
--- a/rpmqv.c
+++ b/rpmqv.c
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (!poptPeekArg(optCon)) {
 	    argerror(_("no packages given for erase"));
 	} else {
-	    ec += rpmErase(ts, ia, (const char **) poptGetArgs(optCon));
+	    ec += rpmErase(ts, ia, (ARGV_const_t) poptGetArgs(optCon));
 	}
 	break;
 
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    argerror(_("no packages given for install"));
 	} else {
 	    /* FIX: ia->relocations[0].newPath undefined */
-	    ec += rpmInstall(ts, ia, (const char **)poptGetArgs(optCon));
+	    ec += rpmInstall(ts, ia, (ARGV_t) poptGetArgs(optCon));
 	}
 	break;
 
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	    argerror(_("no arguments given for query"));
 
 	qva->qva_specQuery = rpmspecQuery;
-	ec = rpmcliQuery(ts, qva, (const char **) poptGetArgs(optCon));
+	ec = rpmcliQuery(ts, qva, (ARGV_const_t) poptGetArgs(optCon));
 	qva->qva_specQuery = NULL;
 	break;
 
@@ -775,7 +775,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (!poptPeekArg(optCon)
 	 && !(qva->qva_source == RPMQV_ALL || qva->qva_source == RPMQV_HDLIST))
 	    argerror(_("no arguments given for verify"));
-	ec = rpmcliVerify(ts, qva, (const char **) poptGetArgs(optCon));
+	ec = rpmcliVerify(ts, qva, (ARGV_const_t) poptGetArgs(optCon));
     }	break;
 #endif	/* IAM_RPMQV */
 
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	if (!poptPeekArg(optCon))
 	    argerror(_("no arguments given"));
 	ka->passPhrase = passPhrase;
-	ec = rpmcliSign(ts, ka, (const char **)poptGetArgs(optCon));
+	ec = rpmcliSign(ts, ka, (ARGV_const_t) poptGetArgs(optCon));
     	break;
 #endif	/* IAM_RPMK */
 	
diff --git a/tools/rpmdeps.c b/tools/rpmdeps.c
index fb906dfca..5f34c2bfd 100644
--- a/tools/rpmdeps.c
+++ b/tools/rpmdeps.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ char buf[BUFSIZ];
     if (optCon == NULL)
 	goto exit;
 
-    av = poptGetArgs(optCon);
+    av = (ARGV_t) poptGetArgs(optCon);
     ac = argvCount(av);
 
     if (ac == 0) {