diff --git a/include/xbps_api_impl.h b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
index 2acb5619..46303f19 100644
--- a/include/xbps_api_impl.h
+++ b/include/xbps_api_impl.h
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ __BEGIN_DECLS
  * @private
  * From lib/initend.c
  */
-struct xbps_handle HIDDEN *xbps_handle_get(void);
+const struct xbps_handle HIDDEN *xbps_handle_get(void);
 
 /**
  * @private
diff --git a/lib/download.c b/lib/download.c
index 19043d8c..10d9583e 100644
--- a/lib/download.c
+++ b/lib/download.c
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ xbps_fetch_file(const char *uri,
 		bool refetch,
 		const char *flags)
 {
-	struct xbps_handle *xhp;
+	const struct xbps_handle *xhp;
 	struct stat st;
 	struct url *url = NULL;
 	struct url_stat url_st;
diff --git a/lib/initend.c b/lib/initend.c
index 8343ed02..6b524822 100644
--- a/lib/initend.c
+++ b/lib/initend.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
  * using libxbps and finalize usage to release resources at the end.
  */
 static bool debug;
-static struct xbps_handle *xhp;
+static const struct xbps_handle *xhp;
 
 void
 xbps_init(struct xbps_handle *xh)
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ xbps_end(void)
 	xhp = NULL;
 }
 
-struct xbps_handle HIDDEN *
+const struct xbps_handle HIDDEN *
 xbps_handle_get(void)
 {
 	return xhp;
diff --git a/lib/package_unpack.c b/lib/package_unpack.c
index c9892b4a..5fd8dde7 100644
--- a/lib/package_unpack.c
+++ b/lib/package_unpack.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ unpack_archive(prop_dictionary_t pkg_repod,
 	       struct archive *ar,
 	       const char *pkgname,
 	       const char *version,
-	       struct xbps_handle *xhp)
+	       const struct xbps_handle *xhp)
 {
 	prop_dictionary_t propsd = NULL, filesd = NULL, old_filesd = NULL;
 	prop_array_t array;
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ out:
 int
 xbps_unpack_binary_pkg(prop_dictionary_t pkg_repod)
 {
-	struct xbps_handle *xhp;
+	const struct xbps_handle *xhp;
 	struct archive *ar;
 	const char *pkgname, *version, *repoloc;
 	char *bpkg;