diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.c b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.c
index 3d3a6ecbd..43a371b7a 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.c
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.c
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ void dbFreeLinkContents(struct link *plink)
 	case RF_IO: break;
 	case VXI_IO: parm = plink->value.vxiio.parm; break;
 	default:
-	     epicsPrintf("dbFreeLink called but link type unknown\n");
+         epicsPrintf("dbFreeLink called but link type %d unknown\n", plink->type);
     }
     if(parm && (parm != pNullString)) free((void *)parm);
     if(plink->text) free(plink->text);
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
index 77bcb32a0..73f8ebd00 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
@@ -623,6 +623,11 @@ static void doCloseLinks(dbRecordType *pdbRecordType, dbCommon *precord,
             }
             dbCaRemoveLink(plink);
             plink->type = CONSTANT;
+
+        } else if (plink->type == DB_LINK) {
+            /* free link, but don't split lockset like dbDbRemoveLink() */
+            free(plink->value.pv_link.pvt);
+            plink->type = CONSTANT;
         }
     }
 
@@ -646,11 +651,20 @@ static void doCloseLinks(dbRecordType *pdbRecordType, dbCommon *precord,
 static void doFreeRecord(dbRecordType *pdbRecordType, dbCommon *precord,
     void *user)
 {
+    int j;
     struct rset *prset = pdbRecordType->prset;
 
     if (!prset) return;         /* unlikely */
 
     epicsMutexDestroy(precord->mlok);
+
+    for (j = 0; j < pdbRecordType->no_links; j++) {
+        dbFldDes *pdbFldDes =
+            pdbRecordType->papFldDes[pdbRecordType->link_ind[j]];
+        DBLINK *plink = (DBLINK *)((char *)precord + pdbFldDes->offset);
+
+        dbFreeLinkContents(plink);
+    }
 }
 
 int iocShutdown(void)