diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.c b/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.c
index a5fd2bed6..df0c2d822 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.c
@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ static int dbjl_map_key(void *ctx, const unsigned char *key, size_t len) {
     char *link_name;
     linkSup *linkSup;
     jlif *pjlif;
+    jlink *child;
 
     if (parser->dbfType == 0) {
         if (!pjlink) {
@@ -260,31 +261,35 @@ static int dbjl_map_key(void *ctx, const unsigned char *key, size_t len) {
         return dbjl_return(parser, jlif_stop);
     }
 
-    pjlink = pjlif->alloc_jlink(parser->dbfType);
-    if (!pjlink) {
+    child = pjlif->alloc_jlink(parser->dbfType);
+    if (!child) {
         errlogPrintf("dbJLinkInit: Link type '%s' allocation failed. \n",
             link_name);
         dbmfFree(link_name);
         return dbjl_return(parser, jlif_stop);
     }
 
-    pjlink->pif = pjlif;
-    pjlink->parseDepth = 0;
+    child->pif = pjlif;
+    child->parseDepth = 0;
+    child->debug = 0;
 
     if (parser->pjlink) {
         /* We're starting a child link, save its parent */
-        pjlink->parent = parser->pjlink;
+        child->parent = pjlink;
+
+        if (pjlink->pif->start_child)
+            pjlink->pif->start_child(pjlink, child);
     }
     else
-        pjlink->parent = NULL;
+        child->parent = NULL;
 
-    parser->pjlink = pjlink;
+    parser->pjlink = child;
     parser->dbfType = 0;
 
     dbmfFree(link_name);
 
     IFDEBUG(8)
-        printf("dbjl_map_key: New %s@%p\n", pjlink ? pjlink->pif->name : "", pjlink);
+        printf("dbjl_map_key: New %s@%p\n", child ? child->pif->name : "", child);
 
     return jlif_continue;
 }
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.h b/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.h
index a94d10ab8..54c793175 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.h
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbJLink.h
@@ -90,7 +90,8 @@ typedef struct jlif {
 
     void (*end_child)(jlink *parent, jlink *child);
         /* Optional, called with pointer to the new child link after
-         * parse_start_map() returned jlif_key_child_link */
+         * the child link has finished parsing successfully
+         */
 
     struct lset* (*get_lset)(const jlink *);
         /* Required, return lset for this link instance */
@@ -107,6 +108,12 @@ typedef struct jlif {
          * Stop immediately and return status if non-zero.
          */
 
+     void (*start_child)(jlink *parent, jlink *child);
+         /* Optional, called with pointer to the new child link after
+          * parse_start_map() returned a jlif_key_child_link value and
+          * the child link has been allocated (but not parsed yet)
+          */
+
     /* Link types must NOT extend this table with their own routines,
      * this space is reserved for extensions to the jlink interface.
      */
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
index dd6919ffb..fc98ff3b3 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
@@ -246,7 +246,8 @@ static jlif jlifZ = {
     NULL, /* end child */
     &z_lset,
     NULL, /* report */
-    NULL  /* map child */
+    NULL,  /* map child */
+    NULL /* start child */
 };
 
 epicsExportAddress(jlif, jlifZ);
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/xLink.c b/src/ioc/db/test/xLink.c
index 12175f44e..2d7c3c043 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/xLink.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/xLink.c
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 * Copyright (c) 2016 UChicago Argonne LLC, as Operator of Argonne
 *     National Laboratory.
 * EPICS BASE is distributed subject to a Software License Agreement found
-* in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution. 
+* in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution.
 \*************************************************************************/
 /* xLink.c */
 
@@ -82,7 +82,6 @@ static jlif xlinkIf = {
     NULL, NULL, NULL,
     NULL, NULL,
     NULL, xlink_get_lset,
-    NULL, NULL
+    NULL, NULL, NULL
 };
 epicsExportAddress(jlif, xlinkIf);
-
diff --git a/src/std/link/lnkCalc.c b/src/std/link/lnkCalc.c
index 987d3bd06..6b68ac990 100644
--- a/src/std/link/lnkCalc.c
+++ b/src/std/link/lnkCalc.c
@@ -847,6 +847,6 @@ static jlif lnkCalcIf = {
     lnkCalc_start_map, lnkCalc_map_key, lnkCalc_end_map,
     lnkCalc_start_array, lnkCalc_end_array,
     lnkCalc_end_child, lnkCalc_get_lset,
-    lnkCalc_report, lnkCalc_map_children
+    lnkCalc_report, lnkCalc_map_children, NULL
 };
 epicsExportAddress(jlif, lnkCalcIf);
diff --git a/src/std/link/lnkConst.c b/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
index ee93830ff..3b9392cfa 100644
--- a/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
+++ b/src/std/link/lnkConst.c
@@ -631,6 +631,6 @@ static jlif lnkConstIf = {
     NULL, NULL, NULL,
     lnkConst_start_array, lnkConst_end_array,
     NULL, lnkConst_get_lset,
-    lnkConst_report, NULL
+    lnkConst_report, NULL, NULL
 };
 epicsExportAddress(jlif, lnkConstIf);
diff --git a/src/std/link/lnkState.c b/src/std/link/lnkState.c
index 8792a1f64..518a37029 100644
--- a/src/std/link/lnkState.c
+++ b/src/std/link/lnkState.c
@@ -280,6 +280,6 @@ static jlif lnkStateIf = {
     NULL, NULL, NULL,
     NULL, NULL,
     NULL, lnkState_get_lset,
-    lnkState_report, NULL
+    lnkState_report, NULL, NULL
 };
 epicsExportAddress(jlif, lnkStateIf);