diff --git a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbCaLinkTest.c b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbCaLinkTest.c
index b433db9c6..8243a6c82 100644
--- a/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbCaLinkTest.c
+++ b/modules/database/test/ioc/db/dbCaLinkTest.c
@@ -50,13 +50,6 @@ void dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(struct dbBase *);
 static epicsEventId waitEvent;
 static unsigned waitCounter;
 
-static
-void waitForUpdateN(DBLINK *plink, unsigned long n)
-{
-    while(dbCaGetUpdateCount(plink)<n)
-        epicsThreadSleep(0.01);
-}
-
 static
 void putLink(DBLINK *plink, short dbr, const void*buf, long nReq)
 {
@@ -133,14 +126,14 @@ static void testNativeLink(void)
 
     testOk1(psrclnk->type==CA_LINK);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 1);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 1);
 
     dbScanLock((dbCommon*)ptarg);
     ptarg->val = 42;
     db_post_events(ptarg, &ptarg->val, DBE_VALUE|DBE_ALARM|DBE_ARCHIVE);
     dbScanUnlock((dbCommon*)ptarg);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 2);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 2);
 
     dbScanLock((dbCommon*)psrc);
     /* local CA_LINK connects immediately */
@@ -218,14 +211,14 @@ static void testStringLink(void)
 
     testOk1(psrclnk->type==CA_LINK);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 1);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 1);
 
     dbScanLock((dbCommon*)ptarg);
     strcpy(ptarg->desc, "hello");
     db_post_events(ptarg, &ptarg->desc, DBE_VALUE|DBE_ALARM|DBE_ARCHIVE);
     dbScanUnlock((dbCommon*)ptarg);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 2);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 2);
 
     dbScanLock((dbCommon*)psrc);
     /* local CA_LINK connects immediately */
@@ -400,7 +393,7 @@ static void testArrayLink(unsigned nsrc, unsigned ntarg)
     testIocInitOk();
     eltc(1);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 1);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 1);
 
     bufsrc = psrc->bptr;
     buftarg= ptarg->bptr;
@@ -421,7 +414,7 @@ static void testArrayLink(unsigned nsrc, unsigned ntarg)
     db_post_events(ptarg, &ptarg->val, DBE_VALUE|DBE_ALARM|DBE_ARCHIVE);
     dbScanUnlock((dbCommon*)ptarg);
 
-    waitForUpdateN(psrclnk, 2);
+    testdbCaWaitForUpdateCount(psrclnk, 2);
 
     dbScanLock((dbCommon*)psrc);
     testDiag("fetch source.INP into source.BPTR");