diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
index a92f8de7d..9e3f7d6d0 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
@@ -163,6 +163,9 @@ void testdbVGetFieldEqual(const char* pv, short dbrType, va_list ap)
     if(status) {
         testFail("dbGetField(\"%s\",%d,...) returns %ld", pv, dbrType, status);
         return;
+    } else if(nReq==0) {
+        testFail("dbGetField(\"%s\", %d, ...) -> zero length", pv, dbrType);
+        return;
     }
 
     switch(dbrType) {