diff --git a/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.cpp b/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.cpp
index a2f1fb5e7..faa1068da 100644
--- a/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.cpp
@@ -121,10 +121,10 @@ PanelManager::get_workspace_window()
 }
 
 void PanelManager::switch_panel(panels::Panel &old_panel,
-  int new_panel_description_index)
+  const int description_index)
 {
-  REQUIRE(new_panel_description_index >= 0 &&
-    new_panel_description_index < get_panel_description_count());
+  REQUIRE(description_index >= 0 &&
+    description_index < get_panel_description_count());
   
   // Get the dock item
   GdlDockItem *dock_item = old_panel.get_dock_item();
@@ -143,8 +143,7 @@ void PanelManager::switch_panel(panels::Panel &old_panel,
   
   // Create the new panel
   shared_ptr<panels::Panel> new_panel(
-    panelDescriptionList[new_panel_description_index].create(
-      *this, dock_item));
+    panelDescriptionList[description_index].create(*this, dock_item));
   g_object_unref(dock_item);
           
   panels.push_back(new_panel);
diff --git a/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.hpp b/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.hpp
index 4928cf8ae..354c11fdf 100644
--- a/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.hpp
+++ b/src/gui/workspace/panel-manager.hpp
@@ -86,11 +86,11 @@ public:
    * Switches a panel from one type to another, without touching the
    * underlying GdlDockItem.
    * @param old_panel The panel which will be transofrmed to a new type.
-   * @param new_panel_description_index The index of the panel
-   * description that will be instantiated.
+   * @param description_index The index of the panel description that
+   * will be instantiated.
    **/
   void switch_panel(panels::Panel &old_panel,
-    int new_panel_description_index);
+    const int description_index);
   
   /**
    * Splits a panel into two panels of the same type.
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ public:
    * @param index The index of the panel to retrieve.
    * @return Returns the stock id of a panel at this index.
    **/
-  static const gchar* get_panel_stock_id(int index);
+  static const gchar* get_panel_stock_id(const int index);
 
 private: