diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.cc b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.cc
index 1218c325d..1d9eb7fd3 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.cc
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.cc
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ bool getRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, std::string &outS
 	return true;
 }
 
-bool setRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, std::string &inStr)
+bool setRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, const std::string &inStr)
 {
 	uint32_t len = inStr.length();
 	/* first check there is space */
diff --git a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.h b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.h
index 50070c205..52c6abe47 100644
--- a/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.h
+++ b/libretroshare/src/serialiser/rsbaseserial.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ bool getRawUInt64(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, uint64_t *out);
 bool setRawUInt64(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, uint64_t in);
 
 bool getRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, std::string &outStr);
-bool setRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, std::string &inStr);
+bool setRawString(void *data, uint32_t size, uint32_t *offset, const std::string &inStr);
 
 #endif