diff --git a/src/controller/ha.c b/src/controller/ha.c
index 9869c621..6c382434 100644
--- a/src/controller/ha.c
+++ b/src/controller/ha.c
@@ -8585,7 +8585,7 @@ static void ha_enter_real_election(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c)
         if (c->myconf && c->myconf->peers_cfg.candidates_count > 0) {
             const xce_cluster_config_t *cfg = &c->myconf->peers_cfg;
             int n = cfg->candidates_count > 0 ? cfg->candidates_count - 1 : 0;
-            xce_candidate_t *peer_ptrs[MAX_HA_CANDIDATES];
+            const xce_candidate_t *peer_ptrs[MAX_HA_CANDIDATES];
             int np = 0;
             for (int i = 0; i < cfg->candidates_count && np < n; i++) {
                 if (strcmp(cfg->candidates[i].name,
@@ -9313,7 +9313,7 @@ void ha_start_election_async(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
  * this instead of the real ha_start_election_async().  Req 6.3, 6.5, 9.3.
  */
 void (*ha_rdhup_election_hook)(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                               int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                               int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                const char *my_name) = NULL;
 #endif
diff --git a/src/controller/ha.h b/src/controller/ha.h
index 0bc43032..be760155 100644
--- a/src/controller/ha.h
+++ b/src/controller/ha.h
@@ -2237,7 +2237,7 @@ uint64_t ha_trigger_manual_failover_for_test(ha_state_t *ha);
  * Requirements: 6.3, 6.5, 9.3.
  */
 extern void (*ha_rdhup_election_hook)(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                      int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                      int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                       uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                       const char *my_name);
 
diff --git a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_failover.c b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_failover.c
index b5e6164f..cbb4d1c5 100644
--- a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_failover.c
+++ b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_failover.c
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ static void test_rdhup_on_minus_one_fd_is_safe(void)
  * async re-election (Req 6.3, 6.5, 9.3).
  */
 extern void (*ha_rdhup_election_hook)(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                      int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                      int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                       uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                       const char *my_name);
 
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ static int     g_rdhup_hook_n_peers  = -1;
 static ha_state_t *g_rdhup_hook_ha   = NULL;
 
 static void rdhup_election_spy(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                               int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                               int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                const char *my_name)
 {
diff --git a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_prevote.c b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_prevote.c
index f90e6e41..f0222379 100644
--- a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_prevote.c
+++ b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_prevote.c
@@ -1503,7 +1503,7 @@ extern int  ha_prevote_active_round_timer_for_test(uint64_t *round_out,
 extern void ha_prevote_round_timer_clear_for_test(void);
 extern _Atomic int ha_liveness_arm_count_for_test;
 extern void (*ha_rdhup_election_hook)(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                      int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                      int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                       uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                       const char *my_name);
 
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ static void test_r2_f2_refused_promotion_steps_down_and_rearms(void)
  */
 static int g_r2_election_spy_calls = 0;
 static void r2_election_spy(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c, int n_peers,
-                            xce_candidate_t **peers, uint64_t tag,
+                            const xce_candidate_t **peers, uint64_t tag,
                             uint64_t lsn, const char *name)
 {
     (void)ha; (void)c; (void)n_peers; (void)peers; (void)tag; (void)lsn;
diff --git a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_rdhup_integration.c b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_rdhup_integration.c
index eadad4d7..eb4adb6f 100644
--- a/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_rdhup_integration.c
+++ b/src/controller/testsuite/test_ha_rdhup_integration.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ extern int (*ha_phase2_hook)(void *c);
 extern int (*ha_push_config_hook)(void *c);
 extern int (*ha_send_ctrlhello_hook)(void *c);
 extern void (*ha_rdhup_election_hook)(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                      int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                      int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                       uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                       const char *my_name);
 
@@ -115,7 +115,8 @@ typedef struct {
 static rdhup_hook_state_t g_rdhup_state;
 
 static void rdhup_election_drives_evaluate(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                           int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                           int n_peers,
+                                           const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                            uint64_t my_config_tag,
                                            uint64_t my_lsn,
                                            const char *my_name)
@@ -401,7 +402,7 @@ static void test_rdhup_primary_dispatch_gate_opens(void)
 static int g_guard_hook_calls = 0;
 
 static void counting_election_hook(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                                   int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                                   int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                                    uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                                    const char *my_name)
 {
@@ -521,7 +522,7 @@ static uint64_t g_captured_my_lsn = 0;
 static uint64_t g_captured_my_tag = 0;
 
 static void capture_lsn_hook(ha_state_t *ha, cluster_t *c,
-                             int n_peers, xce_candidate_t **peers,
+                             int n_peers, const xce_candidate_t **peers,
                              uint64_t my_config_tag, uint64_t my_lsn,
                              const char *my_name)
 {
diff --git a/src/controller/testsuite/test_repl_majority.c b/src/controller/testsuite/test_repl_majority.c
index f7b8b8b9..0513b0e0 100644
--- a/src/controller/testsuite/test_repl_majority.c
+++ b/src/controller/testsuite/test_repl_majority.c
@@ -268,13 +268,8 @@ static void test_broadcast_over_limit_removes_standby(void)
     repl_add_standby(&r, &ep0, "sb0", 7000);
 
     /* Artificially inflate pending_ack_count past the limit.
-     * After overflow the standby should be evicted (in_catch_up=1 or removed). */
-    for (int i = 0; i < r.standbys[0].ep != NULL ? 1 : 0; i++) {
-        /* Access the pending_ack_count field — this will fail to compile if
-         * the field does not exist on standby_conn_t */
-        r.standbys[0].pending_ack_count = MAX_PENDING_ACKS + 1;
-    }
-    /* Also verify the field exists via a direct write */
+     * After overflow the standby should be evicted (in_catch_up=1 or removed).
+     * This also fails to compile if the field is missing on standby_conn_t. */
     r.standbys[0].pending_ack_count = MAX_PENDING_ACKS + 1;
 
     /* Broadcast a wal entry — the over-limit standby should be evicted */
diff --git a/src/include/netio.h b/src/include/netio.h
index a5490a02..c67e75d9 100644
--- a/src/include/netio.h
+++ b/src/include/netio.h
@@ -181,12 +181,12 @@ extern void free_packet(io_packet_t*);
 
 extern endpoint_t*  endpoint_get(void);
 extern int          endpoint_init(endpoint_t*, int, int, int, int);
-extern int          endpoint_connect(endpoint_t*, char*, int, int);
+extern int          endpoint_connect(endpoint_t*, const char*, int, int);
 /* socket_connect: bounded, non-blocking TCP connect on an existing fd.
  * connect_timeout_ms == 0 uses DEFAULT_CONNECT_TIMEOUT_MS (config.h).
  * Returns 0 on success (fd left non-blocking), -ETIMEDOUT on bound expiry,
  * or -<errno> on error. raft-drive-async R2.3. */
-extern int          socket_connect(int sock, char* host, int port,
+extern int          socket_connect(int sock, const char* host, int port,
                                    int connect_timeout_ms);
 extern int          endpoint_accept(endpoint_t*, endpoint_t*);
 extern int          endpoint_set_conn_handler(endpoint_t*, conn_handler_t);
diff --git a/src/lib/netio.c b/src/lib/netio.c
index 287cc3b3..ca983304 100644
--- a/src/lib/netio.c
+++ b/src/lib/netio.c
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ static int socket_create(int domain, int type, int port, int backlog)
  *   -ETIMEDOUT   — poll bound expired before the connect completed
  *   -<errno>     — name resolution / socket / connect error (e.g. -ECONNREFUSED)
  */
-int socket_connect(int sock, char* host, int port, int connect_timeout_ms)
+int socket_connect(int sock, const char* host, int port, int connect_timeout_ms)
 {
     struct sockaddr_in server;
     struct hostent*    hp;
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ int endpoint_init(endpoint_t* ep, int domain, int type, int port, int backlog)
     return fd;
 }
 
-int endpoint_connect(endpoint_t* ep, char* host, int port,
+int endpoint_connect(endpoint_t* ep, const char* host, int port,
                      int connect_timeout_ms)
 {
     int      rc    = -1;
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index 675fbc3e..6d3b0a34 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -9,7 +9,11 @@ component = get_option('component')
 with_debug = false
 
 if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug'
-  # add -DWITH_DEBUG=1
+  # Debug profile: -O0 with line-tables-only debug info (-g1). Objects at -g3
+  # carry full macro/variable DWARF and were ~16x larger (scheduler.c object:
+  # 1.3MB at -g3 vs 0.08MB at -g1), which made the build tree balloon to
+  # multi-GB. -g1 keeps file/line and backtraces; variable/macro inspection
+  # in gdb is lost -- use the asan profile for that when debugging state.
   add_project_arguments(['-DWITH_DEBUG=1',
                          '-DDEBUG',
                          '-O0',
@@ -18,10 +22,7 @@ if get_option('buildtype') == 'debug'
                          '-fno-inline',
                          '-fno-omit-frame-pointer',
                          '-ggdb',
-                         '-gdwarf-4',
-                         '-g3',
-                         '-fvar-tracking',
-                         '-fvar-tracking-assignments',
+                         '-g1',
                         ], language: ['c', 'cpp'])
   add_project_link_arguments('-fno-lto', language: ['c', 'cpp'])
   with_debug = true