diff --git a/common-channel.c b/common-channel.c
index 6d69de9..a4fd787 100644
--- a/common-channel.c
+++ b/common-channel.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@
 #include "netio.h"
 
 static void send_msg_channel_open_failure(unsigned int remotechan, int reason,
-		const unsigned char *text, const unsigned char *lang);
+		const char *text, const char *lang);
 static void send_msg_channel_open_confirmation(struct Channel* channel,
 		unsigned int recvwindow, 
 		unsigned int recvmaxpacket);
@@ -1039,7 +1039,7 @@ void send_msg_channel_success(struct Channel *channel) {
 /* Send a channel open failure message, with a corresponding reason
  * code (usually resource shortage or unknown chan type) */
 static void send_msg_channel_open_failure(unsigned int remotechan, 
-		int reason, const unsigned char *text, const unsigned char *lang) {
+		int reason, const char *text, const char *lang) {
 
 	TRACE(("enter send_msg_channel_open_failure"))
 	CHECKCLEARTOWRITE();
@@ -1047,8 +1047,8 @@ static void send_msg_channel_open_failure(unsigned int remotechan,
 	buf_putbyte(ses.writepayload, SSH_MSG_CHANNEL_OPEN_FAILURE);
 	buf_putint(ses.writepayload, remotechan);
 	buf_putint(ses.writepayload, reason);
-	buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, text, strlen((char*)text));
-	buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, lang, strlen((char*)lang));
+	buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, (const unsigned char *) text, strlen(text));
+	buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, (const unsigned char *) lang, strlen(lang));
 
 	encrypt_packet();
 	TRACE(("leave send_msg_channel_open_failure"))