diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c b/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
index 4ee2d677d..0b893eeb9 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
@@ -730,9 +730,18 @@ int dbLoadDatabase(const char *file, const char *path, const char *subs)
 int dbLoadRecords(const char* file, const char* subs)
 {
     int status = dbReadDatabase(&pdbbase, file, 0, subs);
-
-    if (!status && dbLoadRecordsHook)
-        dbLoadRecordsHook(file, subs);
+    switch(status)
+    {
+        case 0:
+            if(dbLoadRecordsHook)
+                dbLoadRecordsHook(file, subs);
+            break;
+        case -2:
+            errlogPrintf("dbLoadRecords: failed to load %s - cannot load records after running iocBuild!\n", file);
+            break;
+        default:
+            errlogPrintf("dbLoadRecords: failed to load %s\n", file);
+    }
     return status;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
index 3df3c7f3a..2be7b0d0c 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 #include "epicsExport.h"
 #include "link.h"
 #include "special.h"
+#include "iocInit.h"
 
 
 
@@ -215,6 +216,9 @@ static long dbReadCOM(DBBASE **ppdbbase,const char *filename, FILE *fp,
     char	*penv;
     char	**macPairs;
     
+    if(getIocState() != iocVirgin)
+        return -2;
+
     if(*ppdbbase == 0) *ppdbbase = dbAllocBase();
     pdbbase = *ppdbbase;
     if(path && strlen(path)>0) {
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
index a45770d9e..93d8908a8 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
@@ -70,9 +70,7 @@
 #include "registryRecordType.h"
 #include "rsrv.h"
 
-static enum {
-    iocVirgin, iocBuilding, iocBuilt, iocRunning, iocPaused, iocStopped
-} iocState = iocVirgin;
+static enum iocStateEnum iocState = iocVirgin;
 static enum {
     buildRSRV, buildIsolated
 } iocBuildMode;
@@ -91,6 +89,11 @@ static void exitDatabase(void *dummy);
 int dbThreadRealtimeLock = 1;
 epicsExportAddress(int, dbThreadRealtimeLock);
 
+enum iocStateEnum getIocState(void)
+{
+    return iocState;
+}
+
 /*
  *  Initialize EPICS on the IOC.
  */
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.h b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.h
index 24ae45e06..3e711d6c5 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.h
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.h
@@ -13,10 +13,15 @@
 
 #include "shareLib.h"
 
+enum iocStateEnum {
+    iocVirgin, iocBuilding, iocBuilt, iocRunning, iocPaused, iocStopped
+};
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
 
+epicsShareFunc enum iocStateEnum getIocState(void);
 epicsShareFunc int iocInit(void);
 epicsShareFunc int iocBuild(void);
 epicsShareFunc int iocBuildIsolated(void);