diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
index 143c427da..dfe3e0455 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
@@ -755,13 +755,22 @@ long dbBufferSize(short dbr_type, long options, long no_elements)
 }
 int dbLoadDatabase(const char *file, const char *path, const char *subs)
 {
+    if (!file) {
+        printf("Usage: dbLoadDatabase \"file\", \"path\", \"subs\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
     return dbReadDatabase(&pdbbase, file, path, subs);
 }
 
 int dbLoadRecords(const char* file, const char* subs)
 {
-    int status = dbReadDatabase(&pdbbase, file, 0, subs);
+    int status;
 
+    if (!file) {
+        printf("Usage: dbLoadRecords \"file\", \"subs\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
+    status = dbReadDatabase(&pdbbase, file, 0, subs);
     if (!status && dbLoadRecordsHook)
         dbLoadRecordsHook(file, subs);
     return status;
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbBkpt.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbBkpt.c
index 8e7bf3a2b..b3fdd2da4 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbBkpt.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbBkpt.c
@@ -283,6 +283,10 @@ long dbb(const char *record_name)
  /*
   *  Convert name to address
   */
+  if (!record_name) {
+      printf("Usage: dbb \"record_name\"\n");
+      return -1;
+  }
   status = dbNameToAddr(record_name, &addr);
   if (status == S_db_notFound)
       printf("   BKPT> Record %s not found\n", record_name);
@@ -403,6 +407,10 @@ long dbd(const char *record_name)
  /*
   *  Convert name to address
   */
+  if (!record_name) {
+      printf("Usage: dbd \"record_name\"\n");
+      return -1;
+  }
   status = dbNameToAddr(record_name, &addr);
   if (status == S_db_notFound)
       printf("   BKPT> Record %s not found\n", record_name);
@@ -846,6 +854,10 @@ long dbap(const char *record_name)
  /*
   *  Convert name to address
   */
+  if (!record_name) {
+      printf("Usage: dbap \"record_name\"\n");
+      return -1;
+  }
   status = dbNameToAddr(record_name, &addr);
   if (status == S_db_notFound)
       printf("   BKPT> Record %s not found\n", record_name);
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbNotify.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbNotify.c
index c718d3740..c2420affc 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbNotify.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbNotify.c
@@ -596,9 +596,13 @@ long dbtpn(char *pname, char *pvalue)
     tpnInfo *ptpnInfo;
     processNotify *ppn=NULL;
 
+    if (!pname) {
+        printf("Usage: dbtpn \"name\", \"value\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
     chan = dbChannelCreate(pname);
     if (!chan) {
-        printf("dbtpn: No such channel");
+        printf("dbtpn: No such channel\n");
         return -1;
     }
     
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbState.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbState.c
index 6de7735cd..60819a023 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbState.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/dbState.c
@@ -37,6 +37,9 @@ dbStateId dbStateFind(const char *name)
     ELLNODE *node;
     dbStateId id;
 
+    if (!name)
+        return NULL;
+
     for (node = ellFirst(&states); node; node = ellNext(node)) {
         id = CONTAINER(node, dbState, node);
         if (strcmp(id->name, name) == 0)
@@ -49,6 +52,9 @@ dbStateId dbStateCreate(const char *name)
 {
     dbStateId id;
 
+    if (!name)
+        return NULL;
+
     if ((id = dbStateFind(name)))
         return id;
 
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/db_test.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/db_test.c
index 8d7ad31b1..3d536f080 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/db/db_test.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/db/db_test.c
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ int gft(const char *pname)
     short type;
     int i;
 
+    if (!pname) {
+        printf("Usage: gft \"pv_name\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
     chan = dbChannel_create(pname);
     if (!chan) {
         printf("Channel couldn't be created\n");
@@ -94,6 +98,10 @@ int pft(const char *pname, const char *pvalue)
     unsigned char charvalue;
     double doublevalue;
 
+    if (!pname || !pvalue) {
+        printf("Usage: pft \"pv_name\", \"value\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
     chan = dbChannel_create(pname);
     if (!chan) {
         printf("Channel couldn't be created\n");
@@ -223,6 +231,10 @@ int tpn(const char *pname, const char *pvalue)
     tpnInfo *ptpnInfo;
     processNotify *ppn = NULL;
 
+    if (!pname || !pvalue) {
+        printf("Usage: tpn \"pv_name\", \"value\"\n");
+        return -1;
+    }
     chan = dbChannel_create(pname);
     if (!chan) {
         printf("Channel couldn't be created\n");
diff --git a/modules/database/src/ioc/misc/dlload.c b/modules/database/src/ioc/misc/dlload.c
index 5b0591d5f..ddf04f455 100644
--- a/modules/database/src/ioc/misc/dlload.c
+++ b/modules/database/src/ioc/misc/dlload.c
@@ -9,14 +9,19 @@
 #include "iocsh.h"
 #include "epicsExport.h"
 
+IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC void dlload(const char* name)
+{
+    if (!epicsLoadLibrary(name)) {
+        printf("epicsLoadLibrary failed: %s\n", epicsLoadError());
+    }
+}
+
 static const iocshArg dlloadArg0 = { "path/library.so", iocshArgString};
 static const iocshArg * const dlloadArgs[] = {&dlloadArg0};
 static const iocshFuncDef dlloadFuncDef = {"dlload", 1, dlloadArgs};
 static void dlloadCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 {
-    if (!epicsLoadLibrary(args[0].sval)) {
-        printf("epicsLoadLibrary failed: %s\n", epicsLoadError());
-    }
+    dlload(args[0].sval);
 }
 
 static void dlloadRegistar(void) {
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/iocsh.h b/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/iocsh.h
index 3ef3d952b..84b38f224 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/iocsh.h
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/iocsh.h
@@ -14,8 +14,15 @@
 #define INCiocshH
 
 #include <stdio.h>
+#include "compilerDependencies.h"
 #include "shareLib.h"
 
+#if defined(vxWorks) || defined(__rtems__)
+#define IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC
+#else
+#define IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC static EPICS_ALWAYS_INLINE
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/libComRegister.c b/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/libComRegister.c
index d8429fa9f..0d8c5678c 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/libComRegister.c
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/iocsh/libComRegister.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "libComRegister.h"
 
 
+/* date */
 void date(const char *format)
 {
     epicsTimeStamp now;
@@ -42,7 +43,6 @@ void date(const char *format)
     puts(nowText);
 }
 
-/* date */
 static const iocshArg dateArg0 = { "format",iocshArgString};
 static const iocshArg * const dateArgs[] = {&dateArg0};
 static const iocshFuncDef dateFuncDef = {"date", 1, dateArgs};
@@ -52,13 +52,8 @@ static void dateCallFunc (const iocshArgBuf *args)
 }
 
 /* echo */
-static const iocshArg echoArg0 = { "string",iocshArgString};
-static const iocshArg * const echoArgs[1] = {&echoArg0};
-static const iocshFuncDef echoFuncDef = {"echo",1,echoArgs};
-static void echoCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
+IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC void echo(char* str)
 {
-    char *str = args[0].sval;
-
     if (str)
         dbTranslateEscape(str, str); /* in-place is safe */
     else
@@ -66,6 +61,14 @@ static void echoCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
     printf("%s\n", str);
 }
 
+static const iocshArg echoArg0 = { "string",iocshArgString};
+static const iocshArg * const echoArgs[1] = {&echoArg0};
+static const iocshFuncDef echoFuncDef = {"echo",1,echoArgs};
+static void echoCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
+{
+    echo(args[0].sval);
+}
+
 /* chdir */
 static const iocshArg chdirArg0 = { "directory name",iocshArgString};
 static const iocshArg * const chdirArgs[1] = {&chdirArg0};
@@ -126,10 +129,15 @@ static void epicsEnvUnsetCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 }
 
 /* epicsParamShow */
+IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC void epicsParamShow()
+{
+    epicsPrtEnvParams ();
+}
+
 static const iocshFuncDef epicsParamShowFuncDef = {"epicsParamShow",0,NULL};
 static void epicsParamShowCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 {
-    epicsPrtEnvParams ();
+    epicsParamShow ();
 }
 
 /* epicsPrtEnvParams */
@@ -163,12 +171,17 @@ static void iocLogInitCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 }
 
 /* iocLogDisable */
+IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC void setIocLogDisable(int val)
+{
+    iocLogDisable = val;
+}
+
 static const iocshArg iocLogDisableArg0 = {"(0,1)=>(false,true)",iocshArgInt};
 static const iocshArg * const iocLogDisableArgs[1] = {&iocLogDisableArg0};
 static const iocshFuncDef iocLogDisableFuncDef = {"setIocLogDisable",1,iocLogDisableArgs};
 static void iocLogDisableCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 {
-    iocLogDisable = args[0].ival;
+    setIocLogDisable(args[0].ival);
 }
 
 /* iocLogShow */
@@ -212,12 +225,17 @@ static void errlogInit2CallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 }
 
 /* errlog */
+IOCSH_STATIC_FUNC void errlog(const char *message)
+{
+    errlogPrintfNoConsole("%s\n", message);
+}
+
 static const iocshArg errlogArg0 = { "message",iocshArgString};
 static const iocshArg * const errlogArgs[1] = {&errlogArg0};
 static const iocshFuncDef errlogFuncDef = {"errlog",1,errlogArgs};
 static void errlogCallFunc(const iocshArgBuf *args)
 {
-    errlogPrintfNoConsole("%s\n", args[0].sval);
+    errlog(args[0].sval);
 }
 
 /* iocLogPrefix */
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/Darwin/osdEnv.c b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/Darwin/osdEnv.c
index f7ff12ced..ea2662ddc 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/Darwin/osdEnv.c
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/Darwin/osdEnv.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
  */
 epicsShareFunc void epicsShareAPI epicsEnvSet (const char *name, const char *value)
 {
+    if (!name) return;
     iocshEnvClear(name);
     setenv(name, value, 1);
 }
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/default/osdEnv.c b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/default/osdEnv.c
index 0f6fb250d..b74856dbf 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/default/osdEnv.c
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/default/osdEnv.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ epicsShareFunc void epicsShareAPI epicsEnvSet (const char *name, const char *val
 {
     char *cp;
 
+    if (!name) return;
     iocshEnvClear(name);
     
 	cp = mallocMustSucceed (strlen (name) + strlen (value) + 2, "epicsEnvSet");
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/iOS/osdEnv.c b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/iOS/osdEnv.c
index 0c256725c..ba2946aa3 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/iOS/osdEnv.c
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/iOS/osdEnv.c
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
  */
 epicsShareFunc void epicsShareAPI epicsEnvSet (const char *name, const char *value)
 {
+    if (!name) return;
     iocshEnvClear(name);
     setenv(name, value, 1);
 }
diff --git a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/vxWorks/osdEnv.c b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/vxWorks/osdEnv.c
index 88e0ba078..9cfd1f7aa 100644
--- a/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/vxWorks/osdEnv.c
+++ b/modules/libcom/src/osi/os/vxWorks/osdEnv.c
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ epicsShareFunc void epicsShareAPI epicsEnvSet (const char *name, const char *val
 {
     char *cp;
 
+    if (!name) {
+        printf ("Usage: epicsEnvSet \"name\", \"value\"\n");
+        return;
+    }
+
     iocshEnvClear(name);
     
     cp = mallocMustSucceed (strlen (name) + strlen (value) + 2, "epicsEnvSet");