diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbTest.c b/src/ioc/db/dbTest.c
index 97279de08..637f8277d 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbTest.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbTest.c
@@ -308,6 +308,11 @@ long dbgf(const char *pname)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
+    if (addr.precord->lset == NULL) {
+        printf("dbgf only works after iocInit\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     no_elements = MIN(addr.no_elements, sizeof(buffer)/addr.field_size);
     if (addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_ENUM) {
         long status = dbGetField(&addr, DBR_STRING, pbuffer,
@@ -344,6 +349,11 @@ long dbpf(const char *pname,const char *pvalue)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
+    if (addr.precord->lset == NULL) {
+        printf("dbpf only works after iocInit\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     if (addr.no_elements > 1 &&
         (addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_CHAR || addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_UCHAR)) {
         dbrType = addr.dbr_field_type;
@@ -398,6 +408,11 @@ long dbtr(const char *pname)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
+    if (addr.precord->lset == NULL) {
+        printf("dbtr only works after iocInit\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     precord = (struct dbCommon*)addr.precord;
     if (precord->pact) {
         printf("record active\n");
@@ -437,6 +452,11 @@ long dbtgf(const char *pname)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
+    if (addr.precord->lset == NULL) {
+        printf("dbtgf only works after iocInit\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     /* try all options first */
     req_options = 0xffffffff;
     ret_options = req_options;
@@ -534,6 +554,11 @@ long dbtpf(const char *pname, const char *pvalue)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
+    if (addr.precord->lset == NULL) {
+        printf("dbtpf only works after iocInit\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+
     val_long = strtol(pvalue, &pend, 10);
     validLong = (*pend == 0);
 
@@ -797,7 +822,7 @@ static void printBuffer(
 
             printf("no_strs = %u:\n",
                 pdbr_enumStrs->no_str);
-            for (i = 0; i < pdbr_enumStrs->no_str; i++) 
+            for (i = 0; i < pdbr_enumStrs->no_str; i++)
                 printf("\t\"%s\"\n", pdbr_enumStrs->strs[i]);
         }
         else {