diff --git a/src/ca/cac.cpp b/src/ca/cac.cpp
index e086f0757..b3c7d5de9 100644
--- a/src/ca/cac.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/cac.cpp
@@ -103,10 +103,11 @@ const cac::pExcepProtoStubTCP cac::tcpExcepJumpTableCAC [] =
 //
 // cac::cac ()
 //
-cac::cac ( cacNotify &notifyIn, bool enablePreemptiveCallbackIn ) :
+cac::cac ( cacNotify &notifyIn, bool enablePreemptiveCallbackIn, 
+          unsigned maxNumberOfChannels ) :
     ipToAEngine ( "caIPAddrToAsciiEngine" ), 
-    chanTable ( 16384 ),
-    ioTable ( 16384 ),
+    chanTable ( maxNumberOfChannels ),
+    ioTable ( maxNumberOfChannels ),
     sgTable ( 128 ),
     beaconTable ( 1024 ),
     pudpiiu ( 0 ),
@@ -913,7 +914,8 @@ cacChannel::ioid cac::writeNotifyRequest ( nciu &chan, unsigned type, unsigned n
     }
 }
 
-cacChannel::ioid cac::readNotifyRequest ( nciu &chan, unsigned type, unsigned nElem, cacReadNotify &notifyIn )
+cacChannel::ioid cac::readNotifyRequest ( nciu &chan, unsigned type, 
+                                         unsigned nElem, cacReadNotify &notifyIn )
 {
     epicsAutoMutex autoMutex ( this->mutex );
     autoPtrRecycle  < netReadNotifyIO > pIO ( *this, netReadNotifyIO::factory ( 
diff --git a/src/ca/cac.h b/src/ca/cac.h
index 4adc9f8af..004c63acf 100644
--- a/src/ca/cac.h
+++ b/src/ca/cac.h
@@ -99,7 +99,8 @@ struct caHdrLargeArray;
 class cac : private cacRecycle
 {
 public:
-    cac ( cacNotify &, bool enablePreemptiveCallback = false );
+    cac ( cacNotify &, bool enablePreemptiveCallback = false, 
+        unsigned maxNumberOfChannels = 32768 );
     virtual ~cac ();
 
     // beacon management
diff --git a/src/ca/cadef.h b/src/ca/cadef.h
index 2d94b83f7..650112eff 100644
--- a/src/ca/cadef.h
+++ b/src/ca/cadef.h
@@ -194,7 +194,8 @@ epicsShareFunc enum channel_state epicsShareAPI ca_state (chid chan);
 /*  Must be called once before calling any of the other routines        */
 /************************************************************************/
 epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI ca_task_initialize (void);
-epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI ca_context_create ( int preemptiveCallBackEnable );
+epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI ca_context_create ( 
+                   int preemptiveCallBackEnable, unsigned maxNumberOfChannels );
 
 /************************************************************************/
 /*  Remove CA facility from your task                                   */
diff --git a/src/ca/catime.c b/src/ca/catime.c
index 92e98fe9c..c7f310a89 100644
--- a/src/ca/catime.c
+++ b/src/ca/catime.c
@@ -484,7 +484,7 @@ LOCAL void test (
  */
 int catime ( char *channelName, unsigned channelCount, enum appendNumberFlag appNF )
 {
-    unsigned        i;
+    unsigned    i;
     unsigned    strsize;
     unsigned    nBytes;
     ti          *pItemList;
@@ -494,7 +494,7 @@ int catime ( char *channelName, unsigned channelCount, enum appendNumberFlag app
         return -1;
     }
 
-    SEVCHK ( ca_task_initialize(),"Unable to initialize" );
+    SEVCHK ( ca_context_create ( 0, channelCount * 2 ), "Unable to initialize" );
 
     if ( appNF == appendNumber ) {
         printf ( "Testing with %u channels named %snnn\n",