diff --git a/src/libCom/error/errSymLib.c b/src/libCom/error/errSymLib.c
index 84c093c9b..9acd280b3 100644
--- a/src/libCom/error/errSymLib.c
+++ b/src/libCom/error/errSymLib.c
@@ -51,9 +51,8 @@ typedef struct errnumnode {
 #define NHASH 256
 
 
-static ELLLIST errnumlist = ELLLIST_INIT;
-static ERRNUMNODE **hashtable;
-static int initialized = FALSE;
+static ERRNUMNODE **hashtable = NULL;
+#define initialized (hashtable!=NULL)
 extern ERRSYMTAB_ID errSymTbl;
 
 /****************************************************************
@@ -67,12 +66,8 @@ extern ERRSYMTAB_ID errSymTbl;
 int epicsShareAPI errSymBld(void)
 {
     ERRSYMBOL      *errArray = errSymTbl->symbols;
-    ERRNUMNODE     *perrNumNode = NULL;
-    ERRNUMNODE     *pNextNode = NULL;
-    ERRNUMNODE    **phashnode = NULL;
     int             i;
     int             modnum;
-    unsigned short  hashInd;
 
     if(initialized) return(0);
     hashtable = (ERRNUMNODE**)callocMustSucceed
@@ -89,21 +84,6 @@ int epicsShareAPI errSymBld(void)
 	    continue;
 	}
     }
-    perrNumNode = (ERRNUMNODE *) ellFirst(&errnumlist);
-    while (perrNumNode) {
-	/* hash each perrNumNode->errNum */
-	hashInd = errhash(perrNumNode->errNum);
-	phashnode = (ERRNUMNODE**)&hashtable[hashInd];
-	pNextNode = (ERRNUMNODE*) *phashnode;
-	/* search for last node (NULL) of hashnode linked list */
-	while (pNextNode) {
-	    phashnode = &pNextNode->hashnode;
-	    pNextNode = *phashnode;
-	}
-	*phashnode = perrNumNode;
-	perrNumNode = (ERRNUMNODE *) ellNext((ELLNODE *) perrNumNode);
-    }
-    initialized = TRUE;
     return(0);
 }
 
@@ -125,16 +105,33 @@ unsigned short errnum;
 
 /****************************************************************
  * ERRSYMBOLADD
- * adds symbols to the master errnumlist as compiled from errSymTbl.c
+ * adds symbols to the master hashtable as compiled from errSymTbl.c
  ***************************************************************/
 int epicsShareAPI errSymbolAdd (long errNum,char *name)
 {
-    ERRNUMNODE     *pNew;
+    ERRNUMNODE     *perrNumNode;
+    ERRNUMNODE     *pNextNode = NULL;
+    ERRNUMNODE    **phashnode = NULL;
+    unsigned short  hashInd;
+
+    if(!initialized) errSymBld();
+
+    perrNumNode = (ERRNUMNODE*)callocMustSucceed(1,sizeof(ERRNUMNODE),"errSymbolAdd");
+    perrNumNode->errNum = errNum;
+    perrNumNode->message = name;
+
+    /* hash each perrNumNode->errNum */
+    hashInd = errhash(perrNumNode->errNum);
+    phashnode = (ERRNUMNODE**)&hashtable[hashInd];
+    pNextNode = (ERRNUMNODE*) *phashnode;
+    /* search for last node (NULL) of hashnode linked list */
+    while (pNextNode) {
+	phashnode = &pNextNode->hashnode;
+	pNextNode = *phashnode;
+    }
+    *phashnode = perrNumNode;
+    perrNumNode = (ERRNUMNODE *) ellNext((ELLNODE *) perrNumNode);
 
-    pNew = (ERRNUMNODE*)callocMustSucceed(1,sizeof(ERRNUMNODE),"errSymbolAdd");
-    pNew->errNum = errNum;
-    pNew->message = name;
-    ellAdd(&errnumlist,(ELLNODE*)pNew);
     return(0);
 }