diff --git a/src/vcl/vcl_private.h b/src/vcl/vcl_private.h
index 593e63f..4a739e6 100644
--- a/src/vcl/vcl_private.h
+++ b/src/vcl/vcl_private.h
@@ -587,6 +587,12 @@
     clib_memcpy_fast (ep->ip, &ip->ip6, sizeof (ip6_address_t));
 }
 
+static inline int
+vcl_proto_is_dgram (uint8_t proto)
+{
+  return proto == VPPCOM_PROTO_UDP;
+}
+
 /*
  * Helpers
  */
@@ -652,7 +658,7 @@
 /*
  * VCL Binary API
  */
-int vppcom_connect_to_vpp (char *app_name);
+int vppcom_connect_to_vpp (const char *app_name);
 void vppcom_disconnect_from_vpp (void);
 void vppcom_init_error_string_table (void);
 void vppcom_send_session_enable_disable (u8 is_enable);