diff --git a/include/net/irda/irlan_event.h b/include/net/irda/irlan_event.h
index 6d9539f05806a6..018b5a77e61087 100644
--- a/include/net/irda/irlan_event.h
+++ b/include/net/irda/irlan_event.h
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	IRLAN_WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT,
 } IRLAN_EVENT;
 
-extern char *irlan_state[];
+extern const char * const irlan_state[];
 
 void irlan_do_client_event(struct irlan_cb *self, IRLAN_EVENT event, 
 			   struct sk_buff *skb);
diff --git a/net/irda/irlan/irlan_event.c b/net/irda/irlan/irlan_event.c
index cbcb4eb54037bb..43f16040a6fe0f 100644
--- a/net/irda/irlan/irlan_event.c
+++ b/net/irda/irlan/irlan_event.c
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <net/irda/irlan_event.h>
 
-char *irlan_state[] = {
+const char * const irlan_state[] = {
 	"IRLAN_IDLE",
 	"IRLAN_QUERY",
 	"IRLAN_CONN",