diff --git a/agent/call-scd.c b/agent/call-scd.c
index 0fc0d3f00..c58199539 100644
--- a/agent/call-scd.c
+++ b/agent/call-scd.c
@@ -682,7 +682,7 @@ readkey_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)
        * Here we only need the keyref.  We use only the first received
        * KEYPAIRINFO; it is possible to receive several if there are
        * two or more active cards with the same key.  */
-      char *fields[2];
+      const char *fields[2];
       int nfields;
 
       line_buffer = xtrystrdup (line);
diff --git a/agent/command.c b/agent/command.c
index cb4f22bd6..5073aa700 100644
--- a/agent/command.c
+++ b/agent/command.c
@@ -2804,7 +2804,7 @@ cmd_keytocard (assuan_context_t ctx, char *line)
   ctrl_t ctrl = assuan_get_pointer (ctx);
   int force;
   gpg_error_t err = 0;
-  char *argv[5];
+  const char *argv[5];
   int argc;
   unsigned char grip[20];
   const char *serialno, *timestamp_str, *keyref;
@@ -3501,7 +3501,7 @@ cmd_getinfo (assuan_context_t ctx, char *line)
     {
 #if GCRYPT_VERSION_NUMBER >= 0x010800
       char *buf;
-      char *fields[5];
+      const char *fields[5];
 
       buf = gcry_get_config (0, "rng-type");
       if (buf
diff --git a/common/stringhelp.c b/common/stringhelp.c
index d7bb6bc37..a324bfbbc 100644
--- a/common/stringhelp.c
+++ b/common/stringhelp.c
@@ -1363,10 +1363,11 @@ strtokenize (const char *string, const char *delim)
  *   foo (fields[1]);
  */
 int
-split_fields (char *string, char **array, int arraysize)
+split_fields (char *string, const char **array, int arraysize)
 {
   int n = 0;
-  char *p, *pend;
+  const char *p;
+  char *pend;
 
   for (p = string; *p == ' '; p++)
     ;
@@ -1401,10 +1402,11 @@ split_fields (char *string, char **array, int arraysize)
  *   foo (fields[1]);
  */
 int
-split_fields_colon (char *string, char **array, int arraysize)
+split_fields_colon (char *string, const char **array, int arraysize)
 {
   int n = 0;
-  char *p, *pend;
+  const char *p;
+  char *pend;
 
   p = string;
   do
diff --git a/common/stringhelp.h b/common/stringhelp.h
index 42bb19aaf..c5f252bbc 100644
--- a/common/stringhelp.h
+++ b/common/stringhelp.h
@@ -151,11 +151,11 @@ char **strtokenize (const char *string, const char *delim);
 
 /* Split STRING into space delimited fields and store them in the
  * provided ARRAY.  */
-int split_fields (char *string, char **array, int arraysize);
+int split_fields (char *string, const char **array, int arraysize);
 
 /* Split STRING into colon delimited fields and store them in the
  * provided ARRAY.  */
-int split_fields_colon (char *string, char **array, int arraysize);
+int split_fields_colon (char *string, const char **array, int arraysize);
 
 /* Return True if MYVERSION is greater or equal than REQ_VERSION.  */
 int compare_version_strings (const char *my_version, const char *req_version);
diff --git a/common/t-stringhelp.c b/common/t-stringhelp.c
index 7c6fb8022..6f7f6f7af 100644
--- a/common/t-stringhelp.c
+++ b/common/t-stringhelp.c
@@ -717,7 +717,7 @@ test_split_fields (void)
   };
 
   int tidx;
-  char *fields[10];
+  const char *fields[10];
   int field_count_expected, nfields, field_count, i;
   char *s2;
 
@@ -792,7 +792,7 @@ test_split_fields_colon (void)
   };
 
   int tidx;
-  char *fields[10];
+  const char *fields[10];
   int field_count_expected, nfields, field_count, i;
   char *s2;
 
diff --git a/dirmngr/loadswdb.c b/dirmngr/loadswdb.c
index fb883722a..e9ced8af2 100644
--- a/dirmngr/loadswdb.c
+++ b/dirmngr/loadswdb.c
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ time_of_saved_swdb (const char *fname, time_t *r_filedate, time_t *r_verified)
   size_t length_of_line = 0;
   size_t  maxlen;
   ssize_t len;
-  char *fields[2];
+  const char *fields[2];
   gnupg_isotime_t isot;
   time_t filedate = (time_t)(-1);
   time_t verified = (time_t)(-1);
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ verify_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *keyword, char *args)
   /* We care only about the first valid signature.  */
   if (!strcmp (keyword, "VALIDSIG") && !parm->anyvalid)
     {
-      char *fields[3];
+      const char *fields[3];
 
       parm->anyvalid = 1;
       if (split_fields (args, fields, DIM (fields)) >= 3)
diff --git a/g10/call-agent.c b/g10/call-agent.c
index 42e2d3720..1fa77e7be 100644
--- a/g10/call-agent.c
+++ b/g10/call-agent.c
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ scd_keypairinfo_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)
       /* The format of such a line is:
        *   KEYPAIRINFO <hexgrip> <keyref> [usage] [keytime]
        */
-      char *fields[4];
+      const char *fields[4];
       int nfields;
       const char *hexgrp, *keyref, *usage;
       time_t atime;
@@ -1467,7 +1467,7 @@ readkey_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)
        * Note that we use only the first valid KEYPAIRINFO line.  More
        * lines are possible if a second card carries the same key.
        */
-      char *fields[4];
+      const char *fields[4];
       int nfields;
       time_t atime;
 
@@ -2099,7 +2099,7 @@ keyinfo_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)
        *      6        7        8
        *   <sshfpr>  <ttl>  <flags>
        */
-      char *fields[9];
+      const char *fields[9];
 
       if (split_fields (s, fields, DIM (fields)) == 9)
         {
diff --git a/tools/card-call-scd.c b/tools/card-call-scd.c
index 0b529f06a..b56f40a1c 100644
--- a/tools/card-call-scd.c
+++ b/tools/card-call-scd.c
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ learn_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *line)
           /* The format of such a line is:
            *   KEYPAIRINFO <hexgrip> <keyref> [usage] [keytime]
            */
-          char *fields[4];
+          const char *fields[4];
           int nfields;
           const char *hexgrp, *usage;
           time_t keytime;
diff --git a/tools/card-yubikey.c b/tools/card-yubikey.c
index a723739f1..ece7edc48 100644
--- a/tools/card-yubikey.c
+++ b/tools/card-yubikey.c
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ yk_enable_disable (struct ykapps_s *yk, struct iface_s *iface,
  * stream to output information.  This function must only be called on
  * Yubikeys. */
 gpg_error_t
-yubikey_commands (card_info_t info, estream_t fp, int argc, char *argv[])
+yubikey_commands (card_info_t info, estream_t fp, int argc, const char *argv[])
 {
   gpg_error_t err;
   enum {ykLIST, ykENABLE, ykDISABLE } cmd;
diff --git a/tools/gpg-card.c b/tools/gpg-card.c
index 9238b4759..ba48905e2 100644
--- a/tools/gpg-card.c
+++ b/tools/gpg-card.c
@@ -2189,11 +2189,11 @@ cmd_writekey (card_info_t info, char *argstr)
 {
   gpg_error_t err;
   int opt_force;
-  char *argv[2];
+  const char *argv[2];
   int argc;
   char *keyref_buffer = NULL;
-  char *keyref;
-  char *keygrip;
+  const char *keyref;
+  const char *keygrip;
 
   if (!info)
     return print_help
@@ -3376,7 +3376,7 @@ cmd_yubikey (card_info_t info, char *argstr)
 {
   gpg_error_t err, err2;
   estream_t fp = opt.interactive? NULL : es_stdout;
-  char *words[20];
+  const char *words[20];
   int nwords;
 
   if (!info)
diff --git a/tools/gpg-card.h b/tools/gpg-card.h
index 8c8bc0671..1622f2d5f 100644
--- a/tools/gpg-card.h
+++ b/tools/gpg-card.h
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ unsigned long agent_get_s2k_count (void);
 
 /*-- card-yubikey.c --*/
 gpg_error_t yubikey_commands (card_info_t info,
-                              estream_t fp, int argc, char *argv[]);
+                              estream_t fp, int argc, const char *argv[]);
 
 
 #endif /*GNUPG_GPG_CARD_H*/
diff --git a/tools/gpg-wks-client.c b/tools/gpg-wks-client.c
index 5f765d3c1..b5a1753bf 100644
--- a/tools/gpg-wks-client.c
+++ b/tools/gpg-wks-client.c
@@ -558,7 +558,7 @@ decrypt_stream_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *keyword, char *args)
     log_debug ("gpg status: %s %s\n", keyword, args);
   if (!strcmp (keyword, "DECRYPTION_KEY") && !decinfo->fpr)
     {
-      char *fields[3];
+      const char *fields[3];
 
       if (split_fields (args, fields, DIM (fields)) >= 3)
         {
@@ -1199,7 +1199,7 @@ static void
 encrypt_response_status_cb (void *opaque, const char *keyword, char *args)
 {
   gpg_error_t *failure = opaque;
-  char *fields[2];
+  const char *fields[2];
 
   if (DBG_CRYPTO)
     log_debug ("gpg status: %s %s\n", keyword, args);
diff --git a/tools/gpgconf-comp.c b/tools/gpgconf-comp.c
index d6cc14c28..4dae7b49d 100644
--- a/tools/gpgconf-comp.c
+++ b/tools/gpgconf-comp.c
@@ -1553,8 +1553,8 @@ retrieve_options_from_program (gc_component_id_t component, int only_installed)
 
   while ((length = es_read_line (outfp, &line, &line_len, NULL)) > 0)
     {
-      char *fields[4];
-      char *optname, *optdesc;
+      const char *fields[4];
+      const char *optname, *optdesc;
       unsigned int optflags;
       int short_opt;
       gc_arg_type_t arg_type;
@@ -1621,8 +1621,8 @@ retrieve_options_from_program (gc_component_id_t component, int only_installed)
                                         string_array_size,
                                         sizeof *string_array);
         }
-      string_array[string_array_used++] = optname = xstrdup (fields[0]);
-      string_array[string_array_used++] = optdesc = xstrdup (fields[3]);
+      optname = string_array[string_array_used++] = xstrdup (fields[0]);
+      optdesc = string_array[string_array_used++] = xstrdup (fields[3]);
 
       /* Create an option table which can then be supplied to
        * gpgrt_parser.  Unfortunately there is no private pointer in
diff --git a/tools/gpgconf.c b/tools/gpgconf.c
index 539461d80..346a6585d 100644
--- a/tools/gpgconf.c
+++ b/tools/gpgconf.c
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ query_swdb (estream_t out, const char *name, const char *current_version)
   size_t length_of_line = 0;
   size_t  maxlen;
   ssize_t len;
-  char *fields[2];
+  const char *fields[2];
   char *p;
   gnupg_isotime_t filedate = {0};
   gnupg_isotime_t verified = {0};
diff --git a/tools/wks-util.c b/tools/wks-util.c
index 22ad9881b..30461f850 100644
--- a/tools/wks-util.c
+++ b/tools/wks-util.c
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ install_key_from_spec_file (const char *fname)
   char *line = NULL;
   size_t linelen = 0;
   size_t maxlen = 2048;
-  char *fields[2];
+  const char *fields[2];
   unsigned int lnr = 0;
 
   if (!fname || !strcmp (fname, ""))