diff --git a/cache.h b/cache.h
index 7cedda684f..bea8cad5b2 100644
--- a/cache.h
+++ b/cache.h
@@ -302,8 +302,8 @@ extern int legacy_loose_object(unsigned char *);
 extern int has_pack_file(const unsigned char *sha1);
 extern int has_pack_index(const unsigned char *sha1);
 
-extern signed char hexval_table[256];
-static inline unsigned int hexval(unsigned int c)
+extern const signed char hexval_table[256];
+static inline unsigned int hexval(unsigned char c)
 {
 	return hexval_table[c];
 }
diff --git a/sha1_file.c b/sha1_file.c
index 523417027a..ae9bd1fc2f 100644
--- a/sha1_file.c
+++ b/sha1_file.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const unsigned char null_sha1[20];
 
 static unsigned int sha1_file_open_flag = O_NOATIME;
 
-signed char hexval_table[256] = {
+const signed char hexval_table[256] = {
 	 -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,		/* 00-07 */
 	 -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,		/* 08-0f */
 	 -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1,		/* 10-17 */