diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.c b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.c
index 1a978bd9d506..7825d78d4587 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.c
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ struct xfs_name xfs_name_dotdot = { (unsigned char *)"..", 2, XFS_DIR3_FT_DIR };
 /*
  * Convert inode mode to directory entry filetype
  */
-const unsigned char xfs_mode_to_ftype(int mode)
+unsigned char xfs_mode_to_ftype(int mode)
 {
 	switch (mode & S_IFMT) {
 	case S_IFREG:
diff --git a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.h b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.h
index 0051a34b8c3f..ae0d55bf6500 100644
--- a/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.h
+++ b/fs/xfs/libxfs/xfs_dir2.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ extern struct xfs_name	xfs_name_dotdot;
 /*
  * Convert inode mode to directory entry filetype
  */
-extern const unsigned char xfs_mode_to_ftype(int mode);
+extern unsigned char xfs_mode_to_ftype(int mode);
 
 /*
  * directory operations vector for encode/decode routines