diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
index dfe3e0455..af396c74e 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
@@ -601,6 +601,31 @@ all_done:
     return status;
 }
 
+long dbEntryToAddr(const DBENTRY *pdbentry, DBADDR *paddr)
+{
+    dbFldDes *pflddes = pdbentry->pflddes;
+    short dbfType = pflddes->field_type;
+
+    paddr->precord = pdbentry->precnode->precord;
+    paddr->pfield = pdbentry->pfield;
+    paddr->pfldDes = pflddes;
+    paddr->no_elements = 1;
+    paddr->field_type  = dbfType;
+    paddr->field_size  = pflddes->size;
+    paddr->special     = pflddes->special;
+    paddr->dbr_field_type = mapDBFToDBR[dbfType];
+
+    if (paddr->special == SPC_DBADDR) {
+        const rset *prset = dbGetRset(paddr);
+
+        /* Let record type modify paddr */
+        if (prset && prset->cvt_dbaddr) {
+            return prset->cvt_dbaddr(paddr);
+        }
+    }
+    return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  *  Fill out a database structure (*paddr) for
  *    a record given by the name "pname."
@@ -611,9 +636,7 @@ all_done:
 long dbNameToAddr(const char *pname, DBADDR *paddr)
 {
     DBENTRY dbEntry;
-    dbFldDes *pflddes;
     long status = 0;
-    short dbfType;
 
     if (!pname || !*pname || !pdbbase)
         return S_db_notFound;
@@ -628,46 +651,28 @@ long dbNameToAddr(const char *pname, DBADDR *paddr)
         status = dbGetAttributePart(&dbEntry, &pname);
     if (status) goto finish;
 
-    pflddes = dbEntry.pflddes;
-    dbfType = pflddes->field_type;
-
-    paddr->precord = dbEntry.precnode->precord;
-    paddr->pfield = dbEntry.pfield;
-    paddr->pfldDes = pflddes;
-    paddr->no_elements = 1;
-    paddr->field_type  = dbfType;
-    paddr->field_size  = pflddes->size;
-    paddr->special     = pflddes->special;
-    paddr->dbr_field_type = mapDBFToDBR[dbfType];
-
-    if (paddr->special == SPC_DBADDR) {
-        rset *prset = dbGetRset(paddr);
-
-        /* Let record type modify paddr */
-        if (prset && prset->cvt_dbaddr) {
-            status = prset->cvt_dbaddr(paddr);
-            if (status)
-                goto finish;
-            dbfType = paddr->field_type;
-        }
-    }
+    status = dbEntryToAddr(&dbEntry, paddr);
+    if (status) goto finish;
 
     /* Handle field modifiers */
     if (*pname++ == '$') {
+        short dbfType = paddr->field_type;
+
         /* Some field types can be accessed as char arrays */
         if (dbfType == DBF_STRING) {
             paddr->no_elements = paddr->field_size;
             paddr->field_type = DBF_CHAR;
             paddr->field_size = 1;
             paddr->dbr_field_type = DBR_CHAR;
-        } else if (dbfType >= DBF_INLINK && dbfType <= DBF_FWDLINK) {
+        }
+        else if (dbfType >= DBF_INLINK && dbfType <= DBF_FWDLINK) {
             /* Clients see a char array, but keep original dbfType */
             paddr->no_elements = PVLINK_STRINGSZ;
             paddr->field_size = 1;
             paddr->dbr_field_type = DBR_CHAR;
-        } else {
+        }
+        else {
             status = S_dbLib_fieldNotFound;
-            goto finish;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccessDefs.h b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccessDefs.h
index 451e3f881..52ac4016d 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccessDefs.h
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccessDefs.h
@@ -215,7 +215,14 @@ epicsShareFunc int dbGetFieldIndex(const struct dbAddr *paddr);
 epicsShareFunc long dbScanPassive(
     struct dbCommon *pfrom,struct dbCommon *pto);
 epicsShareFunc long dbProcess(struct dbCommon *precord);
-epicsShareFunc long dbNameToAddr(const char *pname, struct dbAddr *);
+epicsShareFunc long dbNameToAddr(const char *pname, struct dbAddr *paddr);
+
+/** Initialize DBADDR from a dbEntry
+ * Also handles SPC_DBADDR processing. This is really an internal
+ * routine for use by dbNameToAddr() and dbChannelCreate().
+ */
+epicsShareFunc long dbEntryToAddr(const struct dbEntry *pdbentry,
+    struct dbAddr *paddr);
 
 /** Initialize DBENTRY from a valid dbAddr*
  * Constant time equivalent of dbInitEntry() then dbFindRecord(),
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.c
index 9792708cb..6db2982d8 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbChannel.c
@@ -473,9 +473,7 @@ dbChannel * dbChannelCreate(const char *name)
     dbChannel *chan = NULL;
     char *cname;
     dbAddr *paddr;
-    dbFldDes *pflddes;
     long status;
-    short dbfType;
 
     if (!name || !*name || !pdbbase)
         return NULL;
@@ -498,32 +496,14 @@ dbChannel * dbChannelCreate(const char *name)
     ellInit(&chan->post_chain);
 
     paddr = &chan->addr;
-    pflddes = dbEntry.pflddes;
-    dbfType = pflddes->field_type;
-
-    paddr->precord = dbEntry.precnode->precord;
-    paddr->pfield = dbEntry.pfield;
-    paddr->pfldDes = pflddes;
-    paddr->no_elements = 1;
-    paddr->field_type = dbfType;
-    paddr->field_size = pflddes->size;
-    paddr->special = pflddes->special;
-    paddr->dbr_field_type = mapDBFToDBR[dbfType];
-
-    if (paddr->special == SPC_DBADDR) {
-        rset *prset = dbGetRset(paddr);
-
-        /* Let record type modify paddr */
-        if (prset && prset->cvt_dbaddr) {
-            status = prset->cvt_dbaddr(paddr);
-            if (status)
-                goto finish;
-            dbfType = paddr->field_type;
-        }
-    }
+    status = dbEntryToAddr(&dbEntry, paddr);
+    if (status)
+        goto finish;
 
     /* Handle field modifiers */
     if (*pname) {
+        short dbfType = paddr->field_type;
+
         if (*pname == '$') {
             /* Some field types can be accessed as char arrays */
             if (dbfType == DBF_STRING) {
@@ -531,12 +511,14 @@ dbChannel * dbChannelCreate(const char *name)
                 paddr->field_type = DBF_CHAR;
                 paddr->field_size = 1;
                 paddr->dbr_field_type = DBR_CHAR;
-            } else if (dbfType >= DBF_INLINK && dbfType <= DBF_FWDLINK) {
+            }
+            else if (dbfType >= DBF_INLINK && dbfType <= DBF_FWDLINK) {
                 /* Clients see a char array, but keep original dbfType */
                 paddr->no_elements = PVLINK_STRINGSZ;
                 paddr->field_size = 1;
                 paddr->dbr_field_type = DBR_CHAR;
-            } else {
+            }
+            else {
                 status = S_dbLib_fieldNotFound;
                 goto finish;
             }