diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
index 46505777a..54371c6dd 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor-private.h
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ gboolean                        _clutter_actor_set_default_paint_volume
                                                                                          GType               check_gtype,
                                                                                          ClutterPaintVolume *volume);
 
-const gchar *                   _clutter_actor_get_debug_name                           (ClutterActor *self);
+const char *                    _clutter_actor_get_debug_name                           (ClutterActor *self);
 
 void                            _clutter_actor_push_clone_paint                         (void);
 void                            _clutter_actor_pop_clone_paint                          (void);
diff --git a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
index 3e88d4eeb..e32e878dc 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter/clutter-actor.c
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ struct _ClutterActorPrivate
   ClutterColor bg_color;
 
   /* a string used for debugging messages */
-  gchar *debug_name;
+  char *debug_name;
 
   /* a set of clones of the actor */
   GHashTable *clones;
@@ -1108,11 +1108,11 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (ClutterActor,
  *
  * Return value: a string with a printable name
  */
-const gchar *
+const char *
 _clutter_actor_get_debug_name (ClutterActor *actor)
 {
   ClutterActorPrivate *priv = actor->priv;
-  const gchar *retval;
+  const char *retval;
 
   if (G_UNLIKELY (priv->debug_name == NULL))
     {