diff --git a/include/common.h b/include/common.h
index a67acef..94ade22 100644
--- a/include/common.h
+++ b/include/common.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ typedef enum { VAR_RW, VAR_RC, VAR_RO } var_perms;
  */
 typedef struct _var
 {
-	char *name;
+	const char *name;
 	var_type type;
 	var_perms perms;
 	void *ptr;
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ typedef struct _conditional_fmt_field
  */
 typedef struct _funcmap
 {
-	char *name;
+	const char *name;
 	void (*function)();
 	int argn;
 	prog_mode mode;
diff --git a/include/formats.h b/include/formats.h
index 2904fbe..2acc1fb 100644
--- a/include/formats.h
+++ b/include/formats.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "common.h"
 
-fmt_field *compile_format_string(char *);
+fmt_field *compile_format_string(const char *);
 char *eval_format(fmt_field *, task *);
 void compile_formats();
 void free_formats();
diff --git a/include/tasknc.h b/include/tasknc.h
index a937399..06c59d4 100644
--- a/include/tasknc.h
+++ b/include/tasknc.h
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ void print_version(void);
 void set_curses_mode(const ncurses_mode);
 char *str_trim(char *);
 int umvaddstr(WINDOW *, const int, const int, const char *, ...) __attribute__((format(printf,4,5)));
-int umvaddstr_align(WINDOW *, const int, char *);
+int umvaddstr_align(WINDOW *, const int, const char *);
 void wipe_screen(WINDOW *, const short, const short);
 void wipe_window(WINDOW *);
 
diff --git a/src/command.c b/src/command.c
index 5e867fd..7c8c53d 100644
--- a/src/command.c
+++ b/src/command.c
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ static void source_fp(const FILE *);
 void handle_command(char *cmdstr) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* accept a command string, determine what action to take, and execute */
-	char *command, *args, *modestr, *pos;
+	char *command, *args, *pos;
+	const char *modestr;
 	funcmap *fmap;
 	prog_mode mode;
 	int ret = 0;
diff --git a/src/formats.c b/src/formats.c
index 0e1b82f..de6c91c 100644
--- a/src/formats.c
+++ b/src/formats.c
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ static fmt_field *buffer_field(char *, int);
 static char *eval_conditional(conditional_fmt_field *, task *);
 static char *field_to_str(fmt_field *, bool *, task *);
 static void free_format(fmt_field *);
-static conditional_fmt_field *parse_conditional(char **);
+static conditional_fmt_field *parse_conditional(const char **);
 
 char *append_buffer(char *buffer, const char append, int *bufferlen) /* {{{ */
 {
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ void compile_formats() /* {{{ */
 	cfg.formats.view_compiled = compile_format_string(cfg.formats.view);
 } /* }}} */
 
-fmt_field *compile_format_string(char *fmt) /* {{{ */
+fmt_field *compile_format_string(const char *fmt) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* compile a given format string */
 	fmt_field *head = NULL, *this, *last = NULL;
@@ -403,7 +403,7 @@ void free_formats() /* {{{ */
 	free_format(cfg.formats.task_compiled);
 } /* }}} */
 
-conditional_fmt_field *parse_conditional(char **str) /* {{{ */
+conditional_fmt_field *parse_conditional(const char **str) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* parse a conditional struct from a string at a position */
 	conditional_fmt_field *this = calloc(1, sizeof(conditional_fmt_field));
diff --git a/src/keys.c b/src/keys.c
index 85a2e28..a4f6fef 100644
--- a/src/keys.c
+++ b/src/keys.c
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 struct keymap
 {
 	int value;
-	char *name;
+	const char *name;
 };
 
 /* keymaps {{{ */
@@ -180,7 +180,8 @@ void add_keybind(const int key, void *function, char *arg, const prog_mode mode)
 	 */
 	keybind *this_bind, *new;
 	int n = 0;
-	char *modestr, *name;
+	const char *modestr;
+	char *name;
 
 	/* create new bind */
 	new = calloc(1, sizeof(keybind));
@@ -224,7 +225,8 @@ void handle_keypress(const int c, const prog_mode mode) /* {{{ */
 	 * mode - the mode the key was pressed during
 	 */
 	keybind *this_bind;
-	char *modestr, *keyname;
+	const char *modestr;
+	char *keyname;
 	bool match = false;
 
 	/* exit if timeout occurred */
diff --git a/src/pager.c b/src/pager.c
index 2be7adf..fe74093 100644
--- a/src/pager.c
+++ b/src/pager.c
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 #include "tasknc.h"
 
 /* local functions */
-static void pager_window(line *, const bool, int, char *);
+static void pager_window(line *, const bool, int, const char *);
 
 /* global variables */
 int offset, height, linecount;
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ void help_window() /* {{{ */
 	/* display a help window */
 	line *head, *cur, *last;
 	keybind *this;
-	char *modestr, *keyname;
+	const char *modestr;
+	char *keyname;
 	static bool help_running = false;
 
 	/* check for existing help window */
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ void pager_command(const char *cmdstr, const char *title, const bool fullscreen,
 	free_lines(head);
 } /* }}} */
 
-void pager_window(line *head, const bool fullscreen, int nlines, char *title) /* {{{ */
+void pager_window(line *head, const bool fullscreen, int nlines, const char *title) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/**
 	 * page through a linked list of lines
diff --git a/src/tasklist.c b/src/tasklist.c
index 3a5c323..9e6b30c 100644
--- a/src/tasklist.c
+++ b/src/tasklist.c
@@ -325,7 +325,8 @@ void key_tasklist_toggle_started() /* {{{ */
 	bool started;
 	time_t now;
 	task *cur = get_task_by_position(selline);
-	char *cmdstr, *action, *actionpast, *reply;
+	char *cmdstr, *reply;
+	const char *action, *actionpast;
 	FILE *cmdout;
 	int ret;
 
diff --git a/src/tasknc.c b/src/tasknc.c
index d0c83bd..3f4b25c 100644
--- a/src/tasknc.c
+++ b/src/tasknc.c
@@ -742,7 +742,7 @@ int umvaddstr(WINDOW *win, const int y, const int x, const char *format, ...) /*
 	return r;
 } /* }}} */
 
-int umvaddstr_align(WINDOW *win, const int y, char *str) /* {{{ */
+int umvaddstr_align(WINDOW *win, const int y, const char *str) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* evaluate an aligned string
 	 * win - the window to print the string in
diff --git a/src/test.c b/src/test.c
index 61d6475..b249929 100644
--- a/src/test.c
+++ b/src/test.c
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ void test_compile_fmt() /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* test compiling a format to a series of fields */
 	fmt_field *fmts;
-	char *eval, *teststr;
+	char *eval;
+	const char *teststr;
 
 	teststr = "first $date $-8program_version $4program_name $10program_author ++?$search_string?SEARCH??++ ++?$active_filter??NO?++ second";
 	fmts = compile_format_string(teststr);
@@ -100,7 +101,7 @@ void test_compile_fmt() /* {{{ */
 void test_result(const char *testname, const bool passed) /* {{{ */
 {
 	/* print a colored result for a test */
-	char *color, *msg;
+	const char *color, *msg;
 
 	/* determine color and message */
 	if (passed)