diff --git a/include/os/freebsd/spl/sys/misc.h b/include/os/freebsd/spl/sys/misc.h
index 2e4efc6054..894ccd8bf9 100644
--- a/include/os/freebsd/spl/sys/misc.h
+++ b/include/os/freebsd/spl/sys/misc.h
@@ -45,11 +45,11 @@
 #define	F_SEEK_HOLE	FIOSEEKHOLE
 
 struct opensolaris_utsname {
-	char	*sysname;
-	char	*nodename;
-	char	*release;
-	char	version[32];
-	char	*machine;
+	const char	*sysname;
+	const char	*nodename;
+	const char	*release;
+	char		version[32];
+	const char	*machine;
 };
 
 #define	task_io_account_read(n)
diff --git a/module/os/freebsd/spl/spl_misc.c b/module/os/freebsd/spl/spl_misc.c
index a5fc996b65..2d0821417a 100644
--- a/module/os/freebsd/spl/spl_misc.c
+++ b/module/os/freebsd/spl/spl_misc.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@
 #include <sys/zfs_context.h>
 
 static struct opensolaris_utsname hw_utsname = {
+	.sysname = ostype,
+	.nodename = prison0.pr_hostname,
+	.release = osrelease,
 	.machine = MACHINE
 };
 
@@ -49,10 +52,6 @@ utsname(void)
 static void
 opensolaris_utsname_init(void *arg)
 {
-
-	hw_utsname.sysname = ostype;
-	hw_utsname.nodename = prison0.pr_hostname;
-	hw_utsname.release = osrelease;
 	snprintf(hw_utsname.version, sizeof (hw_utsname.version),
 	    "%d", osreldate);
 }