diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbLink.c b/src/ioc/db/dbLink.c
index c90dcb3df..d3e73267d 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbLink.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbLink.c
@@ -291,22 +291,29 @@ long dbGetNelements(const struct link *plink, long *nelements)
     return plset->getElements(plink, nelements);
 }
 
-long dbGetLink(struct link *plink, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
-        long *poptions, long *pnRequest)
+long dbTryGetLink(struct link *plink, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
+                  long *poptions, long *pnRequest)
 {
-    struct dbCommon *precord = plink->precord;
     lset *plset = plink->lset;
-    long status;
 
     if (poptions && *poptions) {
-        printf("dbGetLink: Use of poptions no longer supported\n");
+        printf("dbTryGetLink: Use of poptions no longer supported\n");
         *poptions = 0;
     }
 
     if (!plset || !plset->getValue)
         return -1;
 
-    status = plset->getValue(plink, dbrType, pbuffer, pnRequest);
+    return plset->getValue(plink, dbrType, pbuffer, pnRequest);
+}
+
+long dbGetLink(struct link *plink, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
+        long *poptions, long *pnRequest)
+{
+    struct dbCommon *precord = plink->precord;
+    long status;
+
+    status = dbTryGetLink(plink, dbrType, pbuffer, poptions, pnRequest);
     if (status)
         recGblSetSevr(precord, LINK_ALARM, INVALID_ALARM);
     return status;
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbLink.h b/src/ioc/db/dbLink.h
index ad4ac2f45..006def2a0 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbLink.h
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbLink.h
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ epicsShareFunc long dbLoadLinkArray(struct link *, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
 epicsShareFunc long dbGetNelements(const struct link *plink, long *nelements);
 epicsShareFunc int dbIsLinkConnected(const struct link *plink); /* 0 or 1 */
 epicsShareFunc int dbGetLinkDBFtype(const struct link *plink);
+epicsShareFunc long dbTryGetLink(struct link *, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
+        long *options, long *nRequest);
 epicsShareFunc long dbGetLink(struct link *, short dbrType, void *pbuffer,
         long *options, long *nRequest);
 epicsShareFunc long dbGetControlLimits(const struct link *plink, double *low,
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/recGbl.c b/src/ioc/db/recGbl.c
index 29d7a2d46..0e44d986b 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/recGbl.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/recGbl.c
@@ -403,8 +403,8 @@ long recGblGetSimm(struct dbCommon *pcommon, epicsEnum16 *psscn,
     long status;
 
     recGblSaveSimm(*psscn, poldsimm, *psimm);
-    status = dbGetLink(psiml, DBR_USHORT, psimm, 0, 0);
-    if (status) return status;
+    status = dbTryGetLink(psiml, DBR_USHORT, psimm, 0, 0);
+    if (status && !pcommon->nsev) pcommon->nsta = LINK_ALARM;
     recGblCheckSimm(pcommon, psscn, *poldsimm, *psimm);
     return 0;
 }