diff --git a/lib/c/criu.c b/lib/c/criu.c
index 832a54d10..ff9c9b87e 100644
--- a/lib/c/criu.c
+++ b/lib/c/criu.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ struct criu_opts {
 	union {
 		char		*service_address;
 		int		service_fd;
-		char		*service_binary;
+		const char	*service_binary;
 	};
 	int			swrk_pid;
 };
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void criu_set_service_fd(int fd)
 	criu_local_set_service_fd(global_opts, fd);
 }
 
-void criu_local_set_service_binary(criu_opts *opts, char *path)
+void criu_local_set_service_binary(criu_opts *opts, const char *path)
 {
 	if (path)
 		opts->service_binary = path;
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ void criu_local_set_service_binary(criu_opts *opts, char *path)
 		opts->service_binary = CR_DEFAULT_SERVICE_BIN;
 }
 
-void criu_set_service_binary(char *path)
+void criu_set_service_binary(const char *path)
 {
 	criu_local_set_service_binary(global_opts, path);
 }
diff --git a/lib/c/criu.h b/lib/c/criu.h
index 5d0b5b6c0..c531016e2 100644
--- a/lib/c/criu.h
+++ b/lib/c/criu.h
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ enum criu_cg_mode {
 
 void criu_set_service_address(char *path);
 void criu_set_service_fd(int fd);
-void criu_set_service_binary(char *path);
+void criu_set_service_binary(const char *path);
 
 /*
  * You can choose if you want libcriu to connect to service socket