diff --git a/src/include/switch_channel.h b/src/include/switch_channel.h
index 2ce6ea3ef1..255516893d 100644
--- a/src/include/switch_channel.h
+++ b/src/include/switch_channel.h
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_channel_get_uuid(switch_channel_t *channel);
   \param value the vaule of the variable
   \returns SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS if successful
 */
-SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_channel_set_variable(switch_channel_t *channel, char *varname, char *value);
+SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_channel_set_variable(switch_channel_t *channel, const char *varname, const char *value);
 
 /*!
   \brief Retrieve a variable from a given channel
diff --git a/src/mod/applications/mod_dptools/mod_dptools.c b/src/mod/applications/mod_dptools/mod_dptools.c
index 7b0d2e9faa..033e8f1d5d 100644
--- a/src/mod/applications/mod_dptools/mod_dptools.c
+++ b/src/mod/applications/mod_dptools/mod_dptools.c
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ static void unset_function(switch_core_session_t *session, char *data)
 		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "No variable name specified.\n");
 	} else {
 		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "UNSET [%s]\n", (char *) data);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, (char *) data, NULL);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, data, NULL);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/mod_sofia.c b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/mod_sofia.c
index 8f11645a8d..a53c66d2ef 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/mod_sofia.c
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_sofia/mod_sofia.c
@@ -2785,8 +2785,8 @@ static void sip_i_state(int status,
 
 		if (r_sdp) {
 			switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "Remote SDP:\n%s\n", r_sdp);			
-			tech_pvt->remote_sdp_str = switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)r_sdp);
-			switch_channel_set_variable(channel, SWITCH_R_SDP_VARIABLE, (char *)r_sdp);
+			tech_pvt->remote_sdp_str = switch_core_session_strdup(session, r_sdp);
+			switch_channel_set_variable(channel, SWITCH_R_SDP_VARIABLE, r_sdp);
 			pass_sdp(tech_pvt, (char *)r_sdp);
 
 		}
@@ -2831,7 +2831,7 @@ static void sip_i_state(int status,
 						(uuid = switch_channel_get_variable(channel, SWITCH_BRIDGE_VARIABLE)) && (other_session = switch_core_session_locate(uuid))) {
 						other_channel = switch_core_session_get_channel(other_session);
 						if (!switch_channel_get_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE)) {
-							switch_channel_set_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE, (char *)r_sdp);
+							switch_channel_set_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE, r_sdp);
 						}
 						
 						switch_channel_pre_answer(other_channel);
@@ -2997,7 +2997,7 @@ static void sip_i_state(int status,
 					if ((uuid = switch_channel_get_variable(channel, SWITCH_BRIDGE_VARIABLE)) && (other_session = switch_core_session_locate(uuid))) {
 						other_channel = switch_core_session_get_channel(other_session);
 						if (!switch_channel_get_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE)) {
-							switch_channel_set_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE, (char *)r_sdp);
+							switch_channel_set_variable(other_channel, SWITCH_B_SDP_VARIABLE, r_sdp);
 						}
 						switch_channel_answer(other_channel);
 						switch_core_session_rwunlock(other_session);
@@ -4011,7 +4011,7 @@ static void sip_i_refer(nua_t *nua,
             switch_core_session_t *b_session;
 				
             if ((b_session = switch_core_session_locate(br))) {
-                switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "TRANSFER_FALLBACK", (char *) from->a_user);
+                switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "TRANSFER_FALLBACK", from->a_user);
                 switch_ivr_session_transfer(b_session, exten, profile->dialplan, profile->context);
                 switch_core_session_rwunlock(b_session);
             } 
@@ -4333,13 +4333,13 @@ static void sip_i_invite(nua_t *nua,
     }
 
 			
-    switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_user", (char *) from->a_url->url_user);
+    switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_user", from->a_url->url_user);
     if (from->a_url->url_user && *from->a_url->url_user == '+') {
         switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_user_stripped", (char *)(from->a_url->url_user+1));
     } else {
-        switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_user_stripped", (char *)from->a_url->url_user);
+        switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_user_stripped", from->a_url->url_user);
     }
-    switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_host", (char *) from->a_url->url_host);
+    switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_host", from->a_url->url_host);
 
             
     if (!(from_port = (char *) from->a_url->url_port)) {
@@ -4349,7 +4349,7 @@ static void sip_i_invite(nua_t *nua,
     switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_port", from_port);
 
 
-    snprintf(uri, sizeof(uri), "%s@%s:%s", (char *) from->a_url->url_user, (char *) from->a_url->url_host, from_port);
+    snprintf(uri, sizeof(uri), "%s@%s:%s", from->a_url->url_user, from->a_url->url_host, from_port);
     switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_from_uri", uri);
             
             
@@ -4373,13 +4373,13 @@ static void sip_i_invite(nua_t *nua,
 
     if (profile->pflags & PFLAG_FULL_ID)  {
 		if (req_user) {
-			if (!(req_username = switch_mprintf("%s@%s:%s", (char *) req_user, (char *) req_host, req_port))) {
+			if (!(req_username = switch_mprintf("%s@%s:%s", req_user, req_host, req_port))) {
 				switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_CRIT, "Memory Error!\n");
 				switch_safe_free(username);
 				return;
 			}
 		} else {
-			if (!(req_username = switch_mprintf("%s:%s", (char *) req_host, req_port))) {
+			if (!(req_username = switch_mprintf("%s:%s", req_host, req_port))) {
 				switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_CRIT, "Memory Error!\n");
 				switch_safe_free(username);
 				return;
@@ -4398,7 +4398,7 @@ static void sip_i_invite(nua_t *nua,
     switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_contact_port", contact_port);
 
     if (!tech_pvt->call_id && sip && sip->sip_call_id && sip->sip_call_id->i_id) {
-        tech_pvt->call_id = switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)sip->sip_call_id->i_id);
+        tech_pvt->call_id = switch_core_session_strdup(session, sip->sip_call_id->i_id);
         switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "sip_call_id", tech_pvt->call_id);
     }
 
@@ -4491,8 +4491,8 @@ static void sip_i_invite(nua_t *nua,
 			} else if (!strncasecmp(un->un_name, "X-", 2)) {
 				if (!switch_strlen_zero(un->un_value)) { 
 					char *new_name;
-					if ((new_name = switch_mprintf("%s%s", SOFIA_SIP_HEADER_PREFIX, (char *)un->un_name))) {
-						switch_channel_set_variable(channel, new_name, (char *)un->un_value);
+					if ((new_name = switch_mprintf("%s%s", SOFIA_SIP_HEADER_PREFIX, un->un_name))) {
+						switch_channel_set_variable(channel, new_name, un->un_value);
 						free(new_name);
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/src/switch_channel.c b/src/switch_channel.c
index 0ea00fa30f..958cd269b9 100644
--- a/src/switch_channel.c
+++ b/src/switch_channel.c
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(char *) switch_channel_get_name(switch_channel_t *channel)
 	return channel->name ? channel->name : "N/A";
 }
 
-SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_channel_set_variable(switch_channel_t *channel, char *varname, char *value)
+SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_channel_set_variable(switch_channel_t *channel, const char *varname, const char *value)
 {
 	assert(channel != NULL);
 
diff --git a/src/switch_ivr.c b/src/switch_ivr.c
index 9bff5e0894..a695c83221 100644
--- a/src/switch_ivr.c
+++ b/src/switch_ivr.c
@@ -1167,33 +1167,33 @@ SWITCH_DECLARE(switch_status_t) switch_ivr_play_file(switch_core_session_t *sess
     }
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_TITLE, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		title = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_TITLE", (char *)p);
+		title = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_TITLE", p);
 	}
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_COPYRIGHT, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		copyright = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_COPYRIGHT", (char *)p);
+		copyright = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_COPYRIGHT", p);
 	}
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_SOFTWARE, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		software = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_SOFTWARE", (char *)p);
+		software = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_SOFTWARE", p);
 	}
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_ARTIST, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		artist = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_ARTIST", (char *)p);
+		artist = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_ARTIST", p);
 	}
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_COMMENT, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		comment = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_COMMENT", (char *)p);
+		comment = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_COMMENT", p);
 	}
 	
 	if (switch_core_file_get_string(fh, SWITCH_AUDIO_COL_STR_DATE, &p) == SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		date = (char *) switch_core_session_strdup(session, (char *)p);
-		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_DATE", (char *)p);
+		date = switch_core_session_strdup(session, p);
+		switch_channel_set_variable(channel, "RECORD_DATE", p);
 	}
 #if 0
 	switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG,