diff --git a/src/ca/caConnTest.cpp b/src/ca/caConnTest.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cb88eb450
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ca/caConnTest.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include <cadef.h>
+#include <epicsAssert.h>
+#include <osiTime.h>
+
+static unsigned channelCount = 0u;
+static unsigned connCount = 0u;
+static bool subsequentConnect = false;
+
+osiTime begin;
+
+static void connHandler ( struct connection_handler_args args )
+{
+    if ( args.op == CA_OP_CONN_UP ) {
+        if ( connCount == 0u ) {
+            if ( subsequentConnect ) {
+                printf ("the first channel connected\n");
+                begin = osiTime::getCurrent ();
+            }
+        }
+        connCount++;
+        // printf  ( "." );
+        // fflush ( stdout );
+        if ( connCount == channelCount ) {
+            osiTime current = osiTime::getCurrent ();
+            double delay = current - begin;
+            printf ( "all channels connected after %f sec ( %f sec per channel)\n",
+                delay, delay / channelCount );
+        }
+    }
+    else if ( args.op == CA_OP_CONN_DOWN ) {
+        if ( connCount == channelCount ) {
+            printf ( "channels are disconnected\n" );
+            subsequentConnect = true;
+        }
+        connCount--;
+        if ( connCount == 0u ) {
+            printf ( "all channels are disconnected\n" );
+        }
+    }
+    else {
+        assert ( 0 );
+    }
+}
+
+void caConnTest ( const char *pNameIn, unsigned channelCountIn, double delayIn )
+{
+    unsigned iteration = 0u;
+    int status;
+	unsigned i;
+	chid *pChans;
+
+    channelCount = channelCountIn;
+
+    pChans = new chid [channelCount];
+    assert ( pChans );
+	
+	while ( 1 ) {
+        connCount = 0u;
+        subsequentConnect = false;
+        begin = osiTime::getCurrent ();
+
+		status = ca_task_initialize();
+		SEVCHK ( status, "CA init failed" );
+
+		for ( i = 0u; i < channelCount; i++ ) {
+			status = ca_search_and_connect ( pNameIn, &pChans[i], connHandler, 0 );
+			SEVCHK ( status, "CA search problems" );
+		}
+
+        printf ( "all channels were created\n" );
+
+		ca_pend_event ( delayIn );
+
+        if ( iteration & 1 ) {
+		    for ( i = 0u; i < channelCount; i++ ) {
+			    status = ca_clear_channel ( pChans[i] );
+			    SEVCHK ( status, "ca_clear_channel() problems" );
+		    }
+        }
+        printf ( "all channels were destroyed\n" );
+
+		status = ca_task_exit ();
+		SEVCHK ( status, "task exit problems" );
+
+        iteration++;
+	}
+
+    delete [] pChans;
+}
diff --git a/src/ca/caConnTestMain.cpp b/src/ca/caConnTestMain.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..abc6641c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ca/caConnTestMain.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+#include "caDiagnostics.h"
+
+int main ( int argc, char **argv )
+{
+    double delay = 60.0 * 5.0;
+    unsigned count = 2000;
+
+    if ( argc < 2 || argc > 4 ) {
+        printf ( "usage: %s < channel name > [ < count > ] [ < delay sec > ]\n", argv[0] );
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    if ( argc >= 3 ) {
+        int nConverted = sscanf ( argv[2], "%u", &count );
+        if ( nConverted != 1 ) {
+            printf ( "conversion failed, changing channel count arg \"%s\" to %u\n",
+                argv[1], count );
+        }
+    }
+
+    if ( argc >= 4 ) {
+        int nConverted = sscanf ( argv[3], "%lf", &delay );
+        if ( nConverted != 1 ) {
+            printf ( "conversion failed, changing delay arg \"%s\" to %f\n",
+                argv[2], delay );
+        }
+    }
+
+    caConnTest ( argv[1], count, delay );
+
+    return 0;
+}