diff --git a/include/qom/object.h b/include/qom/object.h
index c7c97ead60..43858162ad 100644
--- a/include/qom/object.h
+++ b/include/qom/object.h
@@ -1404,7 +1404,7 @@ Object *object_get_internal_root(void);
  * path is the path within the composition tree starting from the root.
  * %NULL if the object doesn't have a parent (and thus a canonical path).
  */
-char *object_get_canonical_path_component(Object *obj);
+char *object_get_canonical_path_component(const Object *obj);
 
 /**
  * object_get_canonical_path:
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ char *object_get_canonical_path_component(Object *obj);
  * Returns: The canonical path for a object.  This is the path within the
  * composition tree starting from the root.
  */
-char *object_get_canonical_path(Object *obj);
+char *object_get_canonical_path(const Object *obj);
 
 /**
  * object_resolve_path:
diff --git a/qom/object.c b/qom/object.c
index b0ed560fd8..d1340ba3d9 100644
--- a/qom/object.c
+++ b/qom/object.c
@@ -1881,7 +1881,7 @@ object_property_add_const_link(Object *obj, const char *name,
                                 NULL, OBJ_PROP_LINK_DIRECT);
 }
 
-char *object_get_canonical_path_component(Object *obj)
+char *object_get_canonical_path_component(const Object *obj)
 {
     ObjectProperty *prop = NULL;
     GHashTableIter iter;
@@ -1906,7 +1906,7 @@ char *object_get_canonical_path_component(Object *obj)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-char *object_get_canonical_path(Object *obj)
+char *object_get_canonical_path(const Object *obj)
 {
     Object *root = object_get_root();
     char *newpath, *path = NULL;