diff --git a/bin/ps/keyword.c b/bin/ps/keyword.c
--- a/bin/ps/keyword.c
+++ b/bin/ps/keyword.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
 #define	PIDFMT	"d"
 
 /* PLEASE KEEP THE TABLE BELOW SORTED ALPHABETICALLY!!! */
-static VAR var[] = {
+static const VAR var[] = {
 	{"%cpu", "%CPU", NULL, "percent-cpu", 0, pcpu, 0, CHAR, NULL},
 	{"%mem", "%MEM", NULL, "percent-memory", 0, pmem, 0, CHAR, NULL},
 	{"acflag", "ACFLG", NULL, "accounting-flag", 0, kvar, KOFF(ki_acflag),
@@ -299,10 +299,7 @@
 				vent->header = hp;
 		}
 		vent->width = strlen(vent->header);
-		vent->var = malloc(sizeof(*vent->var));
-		if (vent->var == NULL)
-			xo_errx(1, "malloc failed");
-		memcpy(vent->var, v, sizeof(*vent->var));
+		vent->var = v;
 		STAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(var_list, vent, next_ve);
 	}
 	free(tempstr1);
diff --git a/bin/ps/print.c b/bin/ps/print.c
--- a/bin/ps/print.c
+++ b/bin/ps/print.c
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
 void
 printheader(void)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 	struct varent *vent;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(vent, &varlist, next_ve)
@@ -734,7 +734,7 @@
  * structures.
  */
 static char *
-printval(void *bp, VAR *v)
+printval(void *bp, const VAR *v)
 {
 	static char ofmt[32] = "%";
 	const char *fcp;
@@ -785,7 +785,7 @@
 char *
 kvar(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	v = ve->var;
 	return (printval((char *)((char *)k->ki_p + v->off), v));
@@ -794,7 +794,7 @@
 char *
 rvar(KINFO *k, VARENT *ve)
 {
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	v = ve->var;
 	if (!k->ki_valid)
diff --git a/bin/ps/ps.h b/bin/ps/ps.h
--- a/bin/ps/ps.h
+++ b/bin/ps/ps.h
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@
 
 /* Keywords/variables to be printed. */
 typedef struct varent {
-	STAILQ_ENTRY(varent)	 next_ve;
-	const char		*header;
-	struct var		*var;
+	STAILQ_ENTRY(varent) next_ve;
+	const char *header;
+	const struct var *var;
 	u_int			 width;
 } VARENT;
 STAILQ_HEAD(velisthead, varent);
diff --git a/bin/ps/ps.c b/bin/ps/ps.c
--- a/bin/ps/ps.c
+++ b/bin/ps/ps.c
@@ -1192,7 +1192,7 @@
 scanvars(void)
 {
 	struct varent *vent;
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(vent, &varlist, next_ve) {
 		v = vent->var;
@@ -1207,7 +1207,7 @@
 format_output(KINFO *ki)
 {
 	struct varent *vent;
-	VAR *v;
+	const VAR *v;
 	KINFO_STR *ks;
 	char *str;
 	u_int len;