diff --git a/docs/README-migration.md b/docs/README-migration.md
index 0fc2b412a2..29c4294678 100644
--- a/docs/README-migration.md
+++ b/docs/README-migration.md
@@ -1564,7 +1564,7 @@ Rather than iterating over sensors using device index, there is a new function S
 {
     if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_SENSOR) == 0) {
         int i, num_sensors;
-        SDL_SensorID *sensors = SDL_GetSensors(&num_sensors);
+        const SDL_SensorID *sensors = SDL_GetSensors(&num_sensors);
         if (sensors) {
             for (i = 0; i < num_sensors; ++i) {
                 SDL_Log("Sensor %" SDL_PRIu32 ": %s, type %d, platform type %d\n",
@@ -1573,7 +1573,6 @@ Rather than iterating over sensors using device index, there is a new function S
                         SDL_GetSensorTypeForID(sensors[i]),
                         SDL_GetSensorNonPortableTypeForID(sensors[i]));
             }
-            SDL_free(sensors);
         }
         SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_SENSOR);
     }
diff --git a/include/SDL3/SDL_sensor.h b/include/SDL3/SDL_sensor.h
index dc43782f1a..2743f3734b 100644
--- a/include/SDL3/SDL_sensor.h
+++ b/include/SDL3/SDL_sensor.h
@@ -146,14 +146,13 @@ typedef enum SDL_SensorType
 /**
  * Get a list of currently connected sensors.
  *
- * \param count a pointer filled in with the number of sensors returned.
- * \returns a 0 terminated array of sensor instance IDs which should be freed
- *          with SDL_free(), or NULL on failure; call SDL_GetError() for more
+ * \param count a pointer filled in with the number of sensors returned, may be NULL.
+ * \returns a 0 terminated array of sensor instance IDs or NULL on failure; call SDL_GetError() for more
  *          information.
  *
  * \since This function is available since SDL 3.0.0.
  */
-extern SDL_DECLSPEC SDL_SensorID * SDLCALL SDL_GetSensors(int *count);
+extern SDL_DECLSPEC const SDL_SensorID * SDLCALL SDL_GetSensors(int *count);
 
 /**
  * Get the implementation dependent name of a sensor.
diff --git a/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h b/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
index e826ed4579..64b0d0a4a5 100644
--- a/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
+++ b/src/dynapi/SDL_dynapi_procs.h
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(int,SDL_GetSensorNonPortableTypeForID,(SDL_SensorID a),(a),retur
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_PropertiesID,SDL_GetSensorProperties,(SDL_Sensor *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_SensorType,SDL_GetSensorType,(SDL_Sensor *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_SensorType,SDL_GetSensorTypeForID,(SDL_SensorID a),(a),return)
-SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(SDL_SensorID*,SDL_GetSensors,(int *a),(a),return)
+SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(const SDL_SensorID*,SDL_GetSensors,(int *a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(int,SDL_GetSilenceValueForFormat,(SDL_AudioFormat a),(a),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(int,SDL_GetStorageFileSize,(SDL_Storage *a, const char *b, Uint64 *c),(a,b,c),return)
 SDL_DYNAPI_PROC(int,SDL_GetStoragePathInfo,(SDL_Storage *a, const char *b, SDL_PathInfo *c),(a,b,c),return)
diff --git a/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c b/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
index d2523d6bea..239fb02ca0 100644
--- a/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
+++ b/src/joystick/SDL_joystick.c
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ static SDL_bool IsROGAlly(SDL_Joystick *joystick)
         SDL_bool has_ally_gyro = SDL_FALSE;
 
         if (SDL_InitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_SENSOR) == 0) {
-            SDL_SensorID *sensors = SDL_GetSensors(NULL);
+            const SDL_SensorID *sensors = SDL_GetSensors(NULL);
             if (sensors) {
                 int i;
                 for (i = 0; sensors[i]; ++i) {
@@ -877,7 +877,6 @@ static SDL_bool IsROGAlly(SDL_Joystick *joystick)
                         }
                     }
                 }
-                SDL_free(sensors);
             }
             SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_SENSOR);
         }
@@ -952,7 +951,7 @@ static SDL_bool ShouldAttemptSensorFusion(SDL_Joystick *joystick, SDL_bool *inve
 
 static void AttemptSensorFusion(SDL_Joystick *joystick, SDL_bool invert_sensors)
 {
-    SDL_SensorID *sensors;
+    const SDL_SensorID *sensors;
     unsigned int i, j;
 
     SDL_AssertJoysticksLocked();
@@ -981,7 +980,6 @@ static void AttemptSensorFusion(SDL_Joystick *joystick, SDL_bool invert_sensors)
                 SDL_PrivateJoystickAddSensor(joystick, SDL_SENSOR_GYRO, 0.0f);
             }
         }
-        SDL_free(sensors);
     }
     SDL_QuitSubSystem(SDL_INIT_SENSOR);
 
diff --git a/src/sensor/SDL_sensor.c b/src/sensor/SDL_sensor.c
index f79debe372..466bf3734c 100644
--- a/src/sensor/SDL_sensor.c
+++ b/src/sensor/SDL_sensor.c
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ SDL_bool SDL_SensorsOpened(void)
     return opened;
 }
 
-SDL_SensorID *SDL_GetSensors(int *count)
+const SDL_SensorID *SDL_GetSensors(int *count)
 {
     int i, num_sensors, device_index;
     int sensor_index = 0, total_sensors = 0;
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ SDL_SensorID *SDL_GetSensors(int *count)
     }
     SDL_UnlockSensors();
 
-    return sensors;
+    return SDL_FreeLater(sensors);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/test/testsensor.c b/test/testsensor.c
index 404c9723bf..38bced06ea 100644
--- a/test/testsensor.c
+++ b/test/testsensor.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ static void HandleSensorEvent(SDL_SensorEvent *event)
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-    SDL_SensorID *sensors;
+    const SDL_SensorID *sensors;
     int i, num_sensors, num_opened;
     SDLTest_CommonState *state;
 
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
                 }
             }
         }
-        SDL_free(sensors);
     }
     SDL_Log("Opened %d sensors\n", num_opened);