diff --git a/src/ca/cacChannel.cpp b/src/ca/cacChannel.cpp
index 223a7da03..25f424312 100644
--- a/src/ca/cacChannel.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/cacChannel.cpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #include "cacIO.h"
 #undef epicsExportSharedSymbols
 
-const cacChannel::priLev cacChannel::priorityMax = 100u;
+const cacChannel::priLev cacChannel::priorityMax = 99u;
 const cacChannel::priLev cacChannel::priorityMin = 0u;
 const cacChannel::priLev cacChannel::priorityDefault = priorityMin;
 const cacChannel::priLev cacChannel::priorityLinksDB = priorityMax;
diff --git a/src/ca/cadef.h b/src/ca/cadef.h
index b885e1ffd..181b11fed 100644
--- a/src/ca/cadef.h
+++ b/src/ca/cadef.h
@@ -243,12 +243,12 @@ epicsShareFunc int epicsShareAPI ca_search_and_connect
 /************************************************************************/
 
 typedef unsigned capri; 
-#define CA_PRIORITY_MAX 100
+#define CA_PRIORITY_MAX 99
 #define CA_PRIORITY_MIN 0
 #define CA_PRIORITY_DEFAULT CA_PRIORITY_MIN
 
-#define CA_PRIORITY_DB_LINKS CA_PRIORITY_MAX
-#define CA_PRIORITY_ARCHIVE ( ( CA_PRIORITY_MAX - CA_PRIORITY_MIN ) / 2 )
+#define CA_PRIORITY_DB_LINKS 80
+#define CA_PRIORITY_ARCHIVE 20
 #define CA_PRIORITY_OPI 0
 
 /*