diff --git a/src/ca/cac.cpp b/src/ca/cac.cpp
index d1db2a806..7d1e78da0 100644
--- a/src/ca/cac.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/cac.cpp
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ netSubscription & cac::subscriptionRequest (
     this->ioTable.add ( *pIO );
     if ( chan.connected ( guard ) ) {
         this->flushIfRequired ( guard, *chan.getPIIU(guard) );
-        chan.getPIIU(guard)->subscriptionRequest ( guard, chan, *pIO );
+        pIO->subscribeIfRequired ( guard, chan );
     }
     return *pIO.release ();
 }
diff --git a/src/ca/nciu.cpp b/src/ca/nciu.cpp
index 84633c54e..667e633f3 100644
--- a/src/ca/nciu.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/nciu.cpp
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@ void nciu::resubscribe ( epicsGuard < epicsMutex > & guard )
         // them here.
         if ( pSubscr ) {
             try {
-                this->getPIIU(guard)->subscriptionRequest ( guard, *this, *pSubscr );
+                pSubscr->subscribeIfRequired ( guard, *this );
             }
             catch ( ... ) {
                 errlogPrintf ( "CAC: failed to send subscription request "
diff --git a/src/ca/netSubscription.cpp b/src/ca/netSubscription.cpp
index c69458e13..2ffaec1e5 100644
--- a/src/ca/netSubscription.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/netSubscription.cpp
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ netSubscription::netSubscription (
         unsigned maskIn, cacStateNotify & notifyIn ) :
     count ( countIn ), privateChanForIO ( chanIn ),
     notify ( notifyIn ), type ( typeIn ), mask ( maskIn ),
-    updateWhileDisconnected ( false )
+    updateWhileDisconnected ( false ), subscribed ( false )
 {
     if ( ! dbr_type_is_valid ( typeIn ) ) {
         throw cacChannel::badType ();
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ void netSubscription::exception (
     epicsGuard < epicsMutex > & guard, cacRecycle & recycle, 
     int status, const char * pContext )
 {
+    if ( status == ECA_DISCONN ) {
+        this->subscribed = false;
+    }
     if ( status == ECA_CHANDESTROY ) {
         this->notify.exception ( 
             guard, status, pContext, UINT_MAX, 0 );
@@ -118,6 +121,9 @@ void netSubscription::exception (
     cacRecycle & recycle, int status, const char * pContext, 
     unsigned typeIn, arrayElementCount countIn )
 {
+    if ( status == ECA_DISCONN ) {
+        this->subscribed = false;
+    }
     if ( status == ECA_CHANDESTROY ) {
         this->notify.exception ( 
             guard, status, pContext, UINT_MAX, 0 );
@@ -154,6 +160,16 @@ void netSubscription::completion (
     }
 }
 
+void netSubscription::subscribeIfRequired (
+    epicsGuard < epicsMutex > & guard, nciu & chan )
+{
+    if ( ! this->subscribed ) {
+        chan.getPIIU(guard)->subscriptionRequest ( 
+            guard, chan, *this );
+        this->subscribed = true;
+    }
+}
+
 void netSubscription::subscriptionUpdateIfRequired (
     epicsGuard < epicsMutex > & guard, nciu & chan )
 {