diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/as/asCa.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/as/asCa.c
index a250a0f7a..a62d86769 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/as/asCa.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/as/asCa.c
@@ -225,6 +225,11 @@ static void asCaTask(void)
         if(asCaDebug) printf("asCaTask has cleared all channels\n");
         epicsEventSignal(asCaTaskWait);
     }
+
+    /* ATM never reached, just a placeholder */
+    cantProceed("Unreachable.  Perpetual thread.");
+
+    taskwdRemove(0);
 }
 
 void asCaStart(void)
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
index e1e10dd03..7e3ad7673 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
@@ -120,6 +120,11 @@ static void req_server (void *pParm)
             }
         }
     }
+
+    /* ATM never reached, just a placeholder */
+    cantProceed("Unreachable.  Perpetual thread.");
+
+    taskwdRemove(0);
 }
 
 static
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/online_notify.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/online_notify.c
index e192e7461..29e7d8acc 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/online_notify.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/rsrv/online_notify.c
@@ -129,7 +129,11 @@ void rsrv_online_notify_task(void *pParm)
         }
     }
 
+    /* ATM never reached, just a placeholder */
+    cantProceed("Unreachable.  Perpetual thread.");
+
     free(lastError);
+    taskwdRemove(0);
 }