diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 545e84a70..1a20933df 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ INSTALL = install
 DIFF    = diff
 PREFIX  ?= /usr/local
 MANDIR  ?= $(PREFIX)/share/man
-CFLAGS  ?= -Os -Wall -Wshadow -Wmissing-prototypes
+CFLAGS  ?= -Os -Wall -Wshadow -Wmissing-prototypes -Wwrite-strings
 EXPORTDIR ?= .
 RANLIB  ?= ranlib
 PKG_CONFIG ?= pkg-config
diff --git a/buspirate_spi.c b/buspirate_spi.c
index 08cd04cfb..826bd8412 100644
--- a/buspirate_spi.c
+++ b/buspirate_spi.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ static int buspirate_sendrecv(unsigned char *buf, unsigned int writecnt,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int buspirate_wait_for_string(unsigned char *buf, char *key)
+static int buspirate_wait_for_string(unsigned char *buf, const char *key)
 {
 	unsigned int keylen = strlen(key);
 	int ret;
diff --git a/cli_classic.c b/cli_classic.c
index d23298e9d..4844d1dc2 100644
--- a/cli_classic.c
+++ b/cli_classic.c
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ static void cli_classic_abort_usage(void)
 	exit(1);
 }
 
-static int check_filename(char *filename, char *type)
+static int check_filename(char *filename, const char *type)
 {
 	if (!filename || (filename[0] == '\0')) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Error: No %s file specified.\n", type);
diff --git a/dmi.c b/dmi.c
index 9ec935a61..c44221c70 100644
--- a/dmi.c
+++ b/dmi.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ static struct {
 static const struct {
 	uint8_t type;
 	uint8_t is_laptop;
-	char *name;
+	const char *name;
 } dmi_chassis_types[] = {
 	{0x01, 2, "Other"},
 	{0x02, 2, "Unknown"},
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index e1b6c1663..d778d716d 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -11,8 +11,9 @@ lt_revision = '0'
 lt_age = '0'
 lt_version = '@0@.@1@.@2@'.format(lt_current, lt_age, lt_revision)
 
-# hide some warnings
+# hide/enable some warnings
 warning_flags = [
+  '-Wwrite-strings',
   '-Wno-unused-parameter',
   '-Wno-sign-compare',
   '-Wno-address-of-packed-member',
diff --git a/pony_spi.c b/pony_spi.c
index 6c033081a..ed9d326c5 100644
--- a/pony_spi.c
+++ b/pony_spi.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ int pony_spi_init(void)
 	int i, data_out;
 	char *arg = NULL;
 	enum pony_type type = TYPE_SI_PROG;
-	char *name;
+	const char *name;
 	int have_device = 0;
 	int have_prog = 0;
 
diff --git a/util/ich_descriptors_tool/ich_descriptors_tool.c b/util/ich_descriptors_tool/ich_descriptors_tool.c
index 2db0f62fe..6f13749b2 100644
--- a/util/ich_descriptors_tool/ich_descriptors_tool.c
+++ b/util/ich_descriptors_tool/ich_descriptors_tool.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ static void dump_files(const char *name, const uint32_t *buf, unsigned int len,
 	printf("\n");
 }
 
-static void usage(char *argv[], char *error)
+static void usage(char *argv[], const char *error)
 {
 	if (error != NULL) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", error);