diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index d9cac6db18..21ed46534a 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -3359,7 +3359,8 @@ static struct ref_update *add_update(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 
 void ref_transaction_update(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *new_sha1, unsigned char *old_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *new_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 			    int flags, int have_old)
 {
 	struct ref_update *update = add_update(transaction, refname);
@@ -3373,7 +3374,7 @@ void ref_transaction_update(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 
 void ref_transaction_create(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *new_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *new_sha1,
 			    int flags)
 {
 	struct ref_update *update = add_update(transaction, refname);
@@ -3387,7 +3388,7 @@ void ref_transaction_create(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 
 void ref_transaction_delete(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *old_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 			    int flags, int have_old)
 {
 	struct ref_update *update = add_update(transaction, refname);
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index 7d946f6b8b..8c7f9c44dc 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ struct ref_transaction *ref_transaction_begin(void);
  */
 void ref_transaction_update(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *new_sha1, unsigned char *old_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *new_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 			    int flags, int have_old);
 
 /*
@@ -251,7 +252,7 @@ void ref_transaction_update(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
  */
 void ref_transaction_create(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *new_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *new_sha1,
 			    int flags);
 
 /*
@@ -261,7 +262,7 @@ void ref_transaction_create(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
  */
 void ref_transaction_delete(struct ref_transaction *transaction,
 			    const char *refname,
-			    unsigned char *old_sha1,
+			    const unsigned char *old_sha1,
 			    int flags, int have_old);
 
 /*