diff --git a/database/DBtechname.c b/database/DBtechname.c
index 3b4291ca..c3d0188e 100644
--- a/database/DBtechname.c
+++ b/database/DBtechname.c
@@ -327,11 +327,11 @@ DBTechNoisyNamePlane(planename)
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
 
-char *
-DBTypeShortName(type)
-    TileType type;
+const char *
+DBTypeShortName(
+    TileType type)
 {
-    NameList *tbl;
+    const NameList *tbl;
 
     for (tbl = dbTypeNameLists.sn_next;
 	    tbl != &dbTypeNameLists;
diff --git a/database/database.h.in b/database/database.h.in
index 96da5cf3..75ef3e6f 100644
--- a/database/database.h.in
+++ b/database/database.h.in
@@ -1124,7 +1124,7 @@ extern PlaneMask	DBTypePlaneMaskTbl[TT_MAXTYPES];
 extern char		*DBTypeLongNameTbl[TT_MAXTYPES];
 
     /* Gives a short name for a tile type: */
-extern char		*DBTypeShortName();
+extern const char	*DBTypeShortName(TileType type);
 
     /*
      * The following give masks of all planes that may be affected
diff --git a/drc/DRCprint.c b/drc/DRCprint.c
index f93daaac..0cf1025a 100644
--- a/drc/DRCprint.c
+++ b/drc/DRCprint.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ static char rcsid[] __attribute__ ((unused)) = "$Header: /usr/cvsroot/magic-8.0/
 #include "drc/drc.h"
 
 extern char *maskToPrint();
-extern char *DBTypeShortName();
+extern const char *DBTypeShortName(TileType type);
 
 /*
  * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------