diff --git a/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.html b/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.html
index 366721455..afb7787d3 100644
--- a/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.html
+++ b/documentation/RELEASE_NOTES.html
@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@
 
 -->
 
+<h3>Support for event codes greater than or equal to NUM_TIME_EVENTS</h3>
+
+<p>Event numbers greater than or equal to NUM_TIME_EVENTS are now allowed if
+supported by the registered event time provider, which must provide its own
+advancing timestamp validation for such events.</p>
+
+<p>Time events numbered 0 through (NUM_TIME_EVENTS-1) are still validated by
+code in epicsGeneralTime.c that checks for advancing timestamps and enforces
+that restriction.</p>
+
 <h3>Type-safe Device and Driver Support Tables</h3>
 
 <p>Type-safe versions of the device and driver support structures <tt>dset</tt>
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.c b/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.c
index 3054175ef..d08e9c6a9 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.c
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.c
@@ -225,14 +225,14 @@ static int generalTimeGetEventPriority(epicsTimeStamp *pDest, int eventNumber,
     gtProvider *ptp;
     int status = S_time_noProvider;
     epicsTimeStamp ts;
+    STATIC_ASSERT ( epicsTimeEventBestTime == -1 );
 
     generalTime_Init();
 
     IFDEBUG(2)
         printf("generalTimeGetEventPriority(eventNum=%d)\n", eventNumber);
 
-    if ((eventNumber < 0 || eventNumber >= NUM_TIME_EVENTS) &&
-        (eventNumber != epicsTimeEventBestTime))
+    if (eventNumber < epicsTimeEventBestTime)
         return S_time_badEvent;
 
     epicsMutexMustLock(gtPvt.eventListLock);
@@ -245,7 +245,9 @@ static int generalTimeGetEventPriority(epicsTimeStamp *pDest, int eventNumber,
             if (pPrio)
                 *pPrio = ptp->priority;
 
-            if (eventNumber == epicsTimeEventBestTime) {
+            if (eventNumber >= NUM_TIME_EVENTS) {
+                *pDest = ts;
+            } else if (eventNumber == epicsTimeEventBestTime) {
                 if (epicsTimeGreaterThanEqual(&ts,
                         &gtPvt.lastProvidedBestTime)) {
                     *pDest = ts;
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.h b/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.h
index 3adc23705..6bbb0b21b 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/epicsGeneralTime.h
@@ -17,7 +17,11 @@ extern "C" {
 #endif
 
 #define NUM_TIME_EVENTS 256
-/* Time Events are numbered 0 through (NUM_TIME_EVENTS-1) */
+/* Time Events numbered 0 through (NUM_TIME_EVENTS-1) are validated by */
+/* code in epicsGeneralTime.c that tests for advancing timestamps and */
+/* enforces that restriction.  Event numbers greater than or equal to */
+/* NUM_TIME_EVENTS are now allowed if supported by a custom time provider */
+/* which should provide its own advancing timestamp validation. */
 
 epicsShareFunc void generalTime_Init(void);