diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.cpp b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.cpp
index fb6006fddc..b4a8ffb6b3 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.cpp
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ MavlinkCommandSender::~MavlinkCommandSender()
 	px4_sem_destroy(&_lock);
 }
 
-int MavlinkCommandSender::handle_vehicle_command(struct vehicle_command_s &command, mavlink_channel_t channel)
+int MavlinkCommandSender::handle_vehicle_command(const struct vehicle_command_s &command, mavlink_channel_t channel)
 {
 	assert(channel < MAX_MAVLINK_CHANNEL);
 
diff --git a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.h b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.h
index 8adc4542b0..842daff225 100644
--- a/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.h
+++ b/src/modules/mavlink/mavlink_command_sender.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public:
 	 * thread-safe
 	 * @return 0 on success, <0 otherwise
 	 */
-	int handle_vehicle_command(struct vehicle_command_s &command, mavlink_channel_t channel);
+	int handle_vehicle_command(const struct vehicle_command_s &command, mavlink_channel_t channel);
 
 	/**
 	 * Check timeouts to verify if an commands need retransmission.