diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
index 81d9087839..908ee0d302 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.c
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ static int
 qemuMonitorIOWrite(qemuMonitor *mon)
 {
     int done;
-    char *buf;
+    const char *buf;
     size_t len;
 
     /* If no active message, or fully transmitted, the no-op */
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
index f452d0d306..2508e89503 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor.h
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ typedef struct _qemuMonitorMessage qemuMonitorMessage;
 struct _qemuMonitorMessage {
     int txFD;
 
-    char *txBuffer;
+    const char *txBuffer;
     int txOffset;
     int txLength;
 
diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
index dcf9186191..6d8ccd91e8 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_monitor_json.c
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ qemuMonitorJSONCommandWithFd(qemuMonitor *mon,
     virBufferAddLit(&cmdbuf, "\r\n");
 
     msg.txLength = virBufferUse(&cmdbuf);
-    msg.txBuffer = virBufferContentAndReset(&cmdbuf);
+    msg.txBuffer = virBufferCurrentContent(&cmdbuf);
     msg.txFD = scm_fd;
 
     ret = qemuMonitorSend(mon, &msg);
@@ -338,8 +338,6 @@ qemuMonitorJSONCommandWithFd(qemuMonitor *mon,
     }
 
  cleanup:
-    VIR_FREE(msg.txBuffer);
-
     return ret;
 }