diff --git a/bufferevent_sock.c b/bufferevent_sock.c
index 49ebc0be..fce73b91 100644
--- a/bufferevent_sock.c
+++ b/bufferevent_sock.c
@@ -351,7 +351,7 @@ bufferevent_socket_new(struct event_base *base, evutil_socket_t fd,
 
 int
 bufferevent_socket_connect(struct bufferevent *bev,
-    struct sockaddr *sa, int socklen)
+    const struct sockaddr *sa, int socklen)
 {
 	struct bufferevent_private *bufev_p =
 	    EVUTIL_UPCAST(bev, struct bufferevent_private, bev);
diff --git a/include/event2/bufferevent.h b/include/event2/bufferevent.h
index f041fa85..825918e3 100644
--- a/include/event2/bufferevent.h
+++ b/include/event2/bufferevent.h
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ struct bufferevent *bufferevent_socket_new(struct event_base *base, evutil_socke
    @return 0 on success, -1 on failure.
  */
 EVENT2_EXPORT_SYMBOL
-int bufferevent_socket_connect(struct bufferevent *, struct sockaddr *, int);
+int bufferevent_socket_connect(struct bufferevent *, const struct sockaddr *, int);
 
 struct evdns_base;
 /**