diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbBase.h b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbBase.h
index 6ee9f7c22..6ef2d2b3c 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbBase.h
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbBase.h
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ typedef struct dbFldDes{  /* field description */
     short	indRecordType;	/*within dbRecordType.papFldDes */
     short	special;	/*Special processing requirements	*/
     dbfType	field_type;	/*Field type as defined in dbFldTypes.h */
-    short    process_passive;/*should dbPutField process passive	*/
+    unsigned int    process_passive:1;/*should dbPutField process passive	*/
+    unsigned int    prop:1;/*field is a metadata, post DBE_PROPERTY on change*/
     ctType	base;		/*base for integer to string conversions*/
     short	promptgroup;	/*prompt, i.e. gui group		*/
     short   interest;	/*interest level			*/
diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
index 6e957fe10..801a27845 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbLexRoutines.c
@@ -580,6 +580,13 @@ static void dbRecordtypeFieldItem(char *name,char *value)
             yyerrorAbort("menu not found");
         return;
     }
+    if(strcmp(name,"prop")==0) {
+        if(strcmp(value, "YES")==0)
+            pdbFldDes->prop = 1;
+        else
+            pdbFldDes->prop = 0;
+        return;
+    }
 }
 
 static void dbRecordtypeCdef(char *text) {
diff --git a/src/tools/DBD/Recfield.pm b/src/tools/DBD/Recfield.pm
index cdf8e2747..b0bc7af56 100644
--- a/src/tools/DBD/Recfield.pm
+++ b/src/tools/DBD/Recfield.pm
@@ -35,7 +35,8 @@ our %field_attrs = (
     base        => qr/^(?:DECIMAL|HEX)$/,
     size        => qr/^\d+$/,
     extra       => qr/^.*$/,
-    menu        => qr/^$RXident$/o
+    menu        => qr/^$RXident$/o,
+    prop        => qr/^(?:YES|NO)$/
 );
 
 sub new {