diff --git a/src/nostrdb.c b/src/nostrdb.c
index 3750c23..e4686a5 100644
--- a/src/nostrdb.c
+++ b/src/nostrdb.c
@@ -650,11 +650,17 @@ ndb_filter_get_string_element(const struct ndb_filter *filter, const struct ndb_
 }
 
 uint64_t *
-ndb_filter_get_int_element(struct ndb_filter_elements *els, int index)
+ndb_filter_get_int_element_ptr(struct ndb_filter_elements *els, int index)
 {
 	return &els->elements[index];
 }
 
+uint64_t
+ndb_filter_get_int_element(const struct ndb_filter_elements *els, int index)
+{
+	return els->elements[index];
+}
+
 int ndb_filter_init(struct ndb_filter *filter)
 {
 	struct cursor cur;
@@ -4839,7 +4845,7 @@ static int cursor_push_json_elem_array(struct cursor *cur,
 				return 0;
 			break;
 		case NDB_ELEMENT_INT:
-			val = *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, i);
+			val = ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, i);
 			if (!cursor_push_int_str(cur, val))
 				return 0;
 			break;
@@ -4910,19 +4916,19 @@ int ndb_filter_json(const struct ndb_filter *filter, char *buf, int buflen)
 		case NDB_FILTER_SINCE:
 			if (!cursor_push_str(c, "\"since\":"))
 				return 0;
-			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
+			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
 				return 0;
 			break;
 		case NDB_FILTER_UNTIL:
 			if (!cursor_push_str(c, "\"until\":"))
 				return 0;
-			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
+			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
 				return 0;
 			break;
 		case NDB_FILTER_LIMIT:
 			if (!cursor_push_str(c, "\"limit\":"))
 				return 0;
-			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
+			if (!cursor_push_int_str(c, ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0)))
 				return 0;
 			break;
 		}
diff --git a/src/nostrdb.h b/src/nostrdb.h
index 7c006ac..92b9b47 100644
--- a/src/nostrdb.h
+++ b/src/nostrdb.h
@@ -499,7 +499,8 @@ int ndb_filter_from_json(const char *, int len, struct ndb_filter *filter, unsig
 // getting field elements
 unsigned char *ndb_filter_get_id_element(const struct ndb_filter *, const struct ndb_filter_elements *, int index);
 const char *ndb_filter_get_string_element(const struct ndb_filter *, const struct ndb_filter_elements *, int index);
-uint64_t *ndb_filter_get_int_element(struct ndb_filter_elements *, int index);
+uint64_t ndb_filter_get_int_element(const struct ndb_filter_elements *, int index);
+uint64_t *ndb_filter_get_int_element_ptr(struct ndb_filter_elements *, int index);
 
 struct ndb_filter_elements *ndb_filter_current_element(const struct ndb_filter *);
 struct ndb_filter_elements *ndb_filter_get_elements(const struct ndb_filter *, int);
diff --git a/test.c b/test.c
index bdf1466..467635a 100644
--- a/test.c
+++ b/test.c
@@ -862,17 +862,17 @@ static void test_parse_filter_json()
 		case 1:
 			assert(elems->field.type == NDB_FILTER_KINDS);
 			assert(elems->count == 3);
-			val = *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0);
+			val = ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0);
 			assert(val == 1);
-			val = *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 1);
+			val = ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 1);
 			assert(val == 2);
-			val = *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 2);
+			val = ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 2);
 			assert(val == 3);
 			break;
 
 		case 2:
 			assert(elems->field.type == NDB_FILTER_LIMIT);
-			val = *ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0);
+			val = ndb_filter_get_int_element(elems, 0);
 			assert(val == 10);
 			break;