diff --git a/pybindgen/cppattribute.py b/pybindgen/cppattribute.py
index 1ece1a1..f830bd0 100644
--- a/pybindgen/cppattribute.py
+++ b/pybindgen/cppattribute.py
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ class PyGetSetDef(object):
         for name, getter, setter in self.attributes:
             code_sink.writeln('{')
             code_sink.indent()
-            code_sink.writeln('"%s", /* attribute name */' % name)
+            code_sink.writeln('(char*) "%s", /* attribute name */' % name)
 
             ## getter
             getter_c_name = (getter and getter.c_function_name or "NULL")
diff --git a/pybindgen/cppmethod.py b/pybindgen/cppmethod.py
index bff7013..e68860b 100644
--- a/pybindgen/cppmethod.py
+++ b/pybindgen/cppmethod.py
@@ -447,8 +447,11 @@ class CppVirtualMethodProxy(ReverseWrapperBase):
 
     def generate_python_call(self):
         """code to call the python method"""
-        params = ['m_pyself', '"_%s"' % self.method_name]
-        params.extend(self.build_params.get_parameters())
+        params = ['m_pyself', '(char *) "_%s"' % self.method_name]
+        build_params = self.build_params.get_parameters()
+        if build_params[0][0] == '"':
+            build_params[0] = '(char *) ' + build_params[0]
+        params.extend(build_params)
         self.before_call.write_code('py_retval = PyObject_CallMethod(%s);'
                                     % (', '.join(params),))
         self.before_call.write_error_check('py_retval == NULL')
diff --git a/pybindgen/typehandlers/base.py b/pybindgen/typehandlers/base.py
index 47e4d6f..f59d638 100644
--- a/pybindgen/typehandlers/base.py
+++ b/pybindgen/typehandlers/base.py
@@ -730,10 +730,10 @@ class ForwardWrapperBase(object):
                 if keywords is None:
                     keywords = []
                 keywords_var = self.declarations.declare_variable(
-                    'char *', 'keywords',
+                    'const char *', 'keywords',
                     '{' + ', '.join(['"%s"' % kw for kw in keywords] + ['NULL']) + '}',
                      '[]')
-                param_list = ['args', 'kwargs', params[0], keywords_var] + params[1:]
+                param_list = ['args', 'kwargs', params[0], '(char **) ' + keywords_var] + params[1:]
                 self.before_parse.write_error_check('!PyArg_ParseTupleAndKeywords(%s)' %
                                                     (', '.join(param_list),))
                 self.meth_flags.append("METH_KEYWORDS")