diff --git a/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp b/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
index 2182c1d58bca..83cbc8120f55 100644
--- a/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
+++ b/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
@@ -113,9 +113,18 @@ nsString::nsString(const nsString& aString) {
  * @update  gess 1/4/99
  * @param   reference to a subsumeString
  */
+#ifdef AIX
+nsString::nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
+  nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
+  nsSubsumeStr temp(aSubsumeStr);  // a temp is needed for the AIX compiler
+  Subsume(*this,temp);
+#else
 nsString::nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
   nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
   Subsume(*this,aSubsumeStr);
+#endif /* AIX */
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/string/obsolete/nsString2.h b/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
index a9193c9d73bd..9cb0e8fd986c 100644
--- a/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
+++ b/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
@@ -93,7 +93,11 @@ public:
    * This constructor takes a subsumestr
    * @param   reference to subsumestr
    */
+#ifdef AIX
+  nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   // AIX requires a const here
+#else
   nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   
+#endif
 
   /**
    * Destructor
diff --git a/xpcom/ds/nsString2.cpp b/xpcom/ds/nsString2.cpp
index 2182c1d58bca..83cbc8120f55 100644
--- a/xpcom/ds/nsString2.cpp
+++ b/xpcom/ds/nsString2.cpp
@@ -113,9 +113,18 @@ nsString::nsString(const nsString& aString) {
  * @update  gess 1/4/99
  * @param   reference to a subsumeString
  */
+#ifdef AIX
+nsString::nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
+  nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
+  nsSubsumeStr temp(aSubsumeStr);  // a temp is needed for the AIX compiler
+  Subsume(*this,temp);
+#else
 nsString::nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
   nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
   Subsume(*this,aSubsumeStr);
+#endif /* AIX */
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/xpcom/ds/nsString2.h b/xpcom/ds/nsString2.h
index a9193c9d73bd..9cb0e8fd986c 100644
--- a/xpcom/ds/nsString2.h
+++ b/xpcom/ds/nsString2.h
@@ -93,7 +93,11 @@ public:
    * This constructor takes a subsumestr
    * @param   reference to subsumestr
    */
+#ifdef AIX
+  nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   // AIX requires a const here
+#else
   nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   
+#endif
 
   /**
    * Destructor
diff --git a/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp b/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
index 2182c1d58bca..83cbc8120f55 100644
--- a/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
+++ b/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.cpp
@@ -113,9 +113,18 @@ nsString::nsString(const nsString& aString) {
  * @update  gess 1/4/99
  * @param   reference to a subsumeString
  */
+#ifdef AIX
+nsString::nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
+  nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
+  nsSubsumeStr temp(aSubsumeStr);  // a temp is needed for the AIX compiler
+  Subsume(*this,temp);
+#else
 nsString::nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr)  {
   nsStr::Initialize(*this,eTwoByte);
+
   Subsume(*this,aSubsumeStr);
+#endif /* AIX */
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.h b/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
index a9193c9d73bd..9cb0e8fd986c 100644
--- a/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
+++ b/xpcom/string/obsolete/nsString2.h
@@ -93,7 +93,11 @@ public:
    * This constructor takes a subsumestr
    * @param   reference to subsumestr
    */
+#ifdef AIX
+  nsString(const nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   // AIX requires a const here
+#else
   nsString(nsSubsumeStr& aSubsumeStr);   
+#endif
 
   /**
    * Destructor