diff --git a/include/spdk/event.h b/include/spdk/event.h
index 19a4dd407..5f03d9df1 100644
--- a/include/spdk/event.h
+++ b/include/spdk/event.h
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ typedef enum spdk_app_parse_args_rvals spdk_app_parse_args_rvals_t;
  */
 spdk_app_parse_args_rvals_t spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv,
 		struct spdk_app_opts *opts, const char *getopt_str,
-		struct option *app_long_opts, int (*parse)(int ch, char *arg),
+		const struct option *app_long_opts, int (*parse)(int ch, char *arg),
 		void (*usage)(void));
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index d92774397..5b93bb968 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ usage(void (*app_usage)(void))
 
 spdk_app_parse_args_rvals_t
 spdk_app_parse_args(int argc, char **argv, struct spdk_app_opts *opts,
-		    const char *app_getopt_str, struct option *app_long_opts,
+		    const char *app_getopt_str, const struct option *app_long_opts,
 		    int (*app_parse)(int ch, char *arg),
 		    void (*app_usage)(void))
 {