diff --git a/src/bookmarks/backend/common.c b/src/bookmarks/backend/common.c
index a779dd16..3dd678a6 100644
--- a/src/bookmarks/backend/common.c
+++ b/src/bookmarks/backend/common.c
@@ -48,22 +48,25 @@ bookmarks_read(void)
 	int backend_num = get_opt_int("bookmarks.file_format", NULL);
 	struct bookmarks_backend *backend = bookmarks_backends[backend_num];
 	char *file_name;
+	const char *file_name_orig;
 	FILE *f;
 
 	if (!backend
 	    || !backend->read
 	    || !backend->filename) return;
 
-	file_name = backend->filename(0);
-	if (!file_name) return;
+	file_name_orig = backend->filename(0);
+	if (!file_name_orig) return;
 	if (elinks_home) {
-		file_name = straconcat(elinks_home, file_name,
+		file_name = straconcat(elinks_home, file_name_orig,
 				       (char *) NULL);
 		if (!file_name) return;
+		f = fopen(file_name, "rb");
+		mem_free(file_name);
+	} else {
+		f = fopen(file_name_orig, "rb");
 	}
 
-	f = fopen(file_name, "rb");
-	if (elinks_home) mem_free(file_name);
 	if (!f) return;
 
 	backend->read(f);
@@ -80,6 +83,7 @@ bookmarks_write(LIST_OF(struct bookmark) *bookmarks_list)
 	struct bookmarks_backend *backend = bookmarks_backends[backend_num];
 	struct secure_save_info *ssi;
 	char *file_name;
+	const char *file_name_orig;
 
 	if (!bookmarks_are_dirty() && backend_num == loaded_backend_num) return;
 	if (!backend
@@ -90,9 +94,9 @@ bookmarks_write(LIST_OF(struct bookmark) *bookmarks_list)
 	/* We do this two-passes because we want backend to possibly decide to
 	 * return NULL if it's not suitable to save the bookmarks (otherwise
 	 * they would be just truncated to zero by secure_open()). */
-	file_name = backend->filename(1);
-	if (!file_name) return;
-	file_name = straconcat(elinks_home, file_name, (char *) NULL);
+	file_name_orig = backend->filename(1);
+	if (!file_name_orig) return;
+	file_name = straconcat(elinks_home, file_name_orig, (char *) NULL);
 	if (!file_name) return;
 
 	ssi = secure_open(file_name);
diff --git a/src/bookmarks/backend/common.h b/src/bookmarks/backend/common.h
index 68f500d4..89fdd84b 100644
--- a/src/bookmarks/backend/common.h
+++ b/src/bookmarks/backend/common.h
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 struct bookmarks_backend {
 	/* Order matters here. --Zas. */
-	char *(*filename)(int);
+	const char *(*filename)(int);
 	void (*read)(FILE *);
 	void (*write)(struct secure_save_info *, LIST_OF(struct bookmark) *);
 };
diff --git a/src/bookmarks/backend/default.c b/src/bookmarks/backend/default.c
index 9843e41f..33867796 100644
--- a/src/bookmarks/backend/default.c
+++ b/src/bookmarks/backend/default.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ write_bookmarks_default(struct secure_save_info *ssi,
 	write_bookmarks_default_inner(&out, bookmarks_list);
 }
 
-static char *
+static const char *
 filename_bookmarks_default(int writing)
 {
 	return BOOKMARKS_FILENAME;
diff --git a/src/bookmarks/backend/xbel.c b/src/bookmarks/backend/xbel.c
index 7397e13f..e724da78 100644
--- a/src/bookmarks/backend/xbel.c
+++ b/src/bookmarks/backend/xbel.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ struct read_bookmarks_xbel {
 };
 
 static void read_bookmarks_xbel(FILE *f);
-static char * filename_bookmarks_xbel(int writing);
+static const char * filename_bookmarks_xbel(int writing);
 static int xbeltree_to_bookmarks_list(const struct read_bookmarks_xbel *preload,
 				      struct tree_node *root,
 				      struct bookmark *current_parent);
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ write_bookmarks_xbel(struct secure_save_info *ssi,
 	secure_fputs(ssi, "\n</xbel>\n");
 }
 
-static char *
+static const char *
 filename_bookmarks_xbel(int writing)
 {
 	if (writing && !readok) return NULL;