diff --git a/ecal/core/include/ecal/ecal_types.h b/ecal/core/include/ecal/ecal_types.h
index 8da22ad5c8..e4883af14c 100644
--- a/ecal/core/include/ecal/ecal_types.h
+++ b/ecal/core/include/ecal/ecal_types.h
@@ -34,9 +34,9 @@ namespace eCAL
   **/
   struct SVersion
   {
-    int major; //!< major version number
-    int minor; //!< minor version number
-    int patch; //!< patch version number
+    const int major; //!< major version number
+    const int minor; //!< minor version number
+    const int patch; //!< patch version number
   };
 
   /**
diff --git a/lang/python/core/ecal/core/core.py b/lang/python/core/ecal/core/core.py
index 08df76cb53..990e7f37c9 100644
--- a/lang/python/core/ecal/core/core.py
+++ b/lang/python/core/ecal/core/core.py
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@
 
 import ecal._ecal_core_py as _ecal
 
+def initialize(args, unit_name):
+  """ initialize eCAL API
+
+  :param args:      command line argument list (sys.argv)
+  :param unit_name: instance unit name
+  :type unit_name:  string
+
+  """
+  print("[WARNING] 'initialize(args, unit_name)' is deprecated. Please use 'initialize(argv, unit_name)' instead.")
+  return initialize(unit_name)
+
 def initialize(unit_name):
   """ initialize eCAL API