diff --git a/openbox/translate.c b/openbox/translate.c
index e7962ad5..21015578 100644
--- a/openbox/translate.c
+++ b/openbox/translate.c
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ translation_fail:
     return ret;
 }
 
-const gchar *translate_keycode(guint keycode)
+gchar *translate_keycode(guint keycode)
 {
     KeySym sym;
     const gchar *ret = NULL;
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ gunichar translate_unichar(guint keycode)
 {
     gunichar unikey = 0;
 
-    const char *key;
+    char *key;
     if ((key = translate_keycode(keycode)) != NULL &&
         /* don't accept keys that aren't a single letter, like "space" */
         key[1] == '\0')
diff --git a/openbox/translate.h b/openbox/translate.h
index 21cd6498..6d9e23bc 100644
--- a/openbox/translate.h
+++ b/openbox/translate.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ gboolean translate_button(const gchar *str, guint *state, guint *keycode);
 gboolean translate_key(const gchar *str, guint *state, guint *keycode);
 
 /*! Give the string form of a keycode */
-const gchar *translate_keycode(guint keycode);
+gchar *translate_keycode(guint keycode);
 
 /*! Translate a keycode to the unicode character it represents */
 gunichar translate_unichar(guint keycode);