diff --git a/src/xend_internal.c b/src/xend_internal.c
index bb2edd2791..e29702a57f 100644
--- a/src/xend_internal.c
+++ b/src/xend_internal.c
@@ -2172,7 +2172,7 @@ error:
  */
 static virDomainDefPtr
 xenDaemonParseSxpr(virConnectPtr conn,
-                   struct sexpr *root,
+                   const struct sexpr *root,
                    int xendConfigVersion,
                    const char *cpus)
 {