diff --git a/tcp-accept.c b/tcp-accept.c
index 596d9c9640b74facab53a68771e6873fe0d5a031..fc9b4c1b95582af71102413011fc80abaebd981c 100644
--- a/tcp-accept.c
+++ b/tcp-accept.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static void tcp_acceptor(struct Listener *listener, int sock) {
 	}
 
 	if (send_msg_channel_open_init(fd, tcpinfo->chantype) == DROPBEAR_SUCCESS) {
-		unsigned char* addr = NULL;
+		char* addr = NULL;
 		unsigned int port = 0;
 
 		if (tcpinfo->tcp_type == direct) {
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ static void tcp_acceptor(struct Listener *listener, int sock) {
 		if (addr == NULL) {
 			addr = "localhost";
 		}
-		buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, addr, strlen(addr));
+		buf_putstring(ses.writepayload, (const unsigned char *)addr, strlen(addr));
 		buf_putint(ses.writepayload, port);
 
 		/* originator ip */