diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile b/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
index 4fe389cbf..6c9f3e9c1 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ dbPutLinkTest_SRCS += dbPutLinkTest.c
 dbPutLinkTest_SRCS += dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp
 testHarness_SRCS += dbPutLinkTest.c
 TESTS += dbPutLinkTest
-TESTFILES += ../dbPutLinkTest.db ../dbBadLink.db
+TESTFILES += ../dbPutLinkTest.db ../dbPutLinkTestJ.db ../dbBadLink.db
 
 TESTPROD_HOST += dbLockTest
 dbLockTest_SRCS += dbLockTest.c
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTest.c b/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTest.c
index e46d2c4d9..d8024c82a 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTest.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTest.c
@@ -24,8 +24,10 @@
 #include "osiFileName.h"
 #include "dbmf.h"
 #include "errlog.h"
+#include <epicsAtomic.h>
 
 #include "xRecord.h"
+#include "jlinkz.h"
 
 #include "testMain.h"
 
@@ -533,9 +535,73 @@ static void testLinkFail(void)
     testdbCleanup();
 }
 
+static
+void testNumZ(int expect)
+{
+    int numz = epicsAtomicGetIntT(&numzalloc);
+    testOk(numz==expect, "numzalloc==%d (%d)", expect, numz);
+}
+
+static
+void testJLink(void)
+{
+    testDiag("Test json link setup/retarget");
+
+    testNumZ(0);
+
+    testDiag("Link parsing failures");
+    testdbPrepare();
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("dbTestIoc.dbd", NULL, NULL);
+
+    dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase);
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("dbPutLinkTest.db", NULL, NULL);
+    testdbReadDatabase("dbPutLinkTestJ.db", NULL, NULL);
+
+    testNumZ(0);
+
+    eltc(0);
+    testIocInitOk();
+    eltc(1);
+
+    testNumZ(3);
+
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j2.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j3.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{\"z\":{\"good\":1}}");
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.VAL", DBF_LONG, 1);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j2.VAL", DBF_LONG, 2);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j3.VAL", DBF_LONG, 3);
+
+    testNumZ(3);
+
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{\"z\":{\"good\":4}}");
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.VAL", DBF_LONG, 4);
+
+    testNumZ(3);
+
+    testdbPutFieldFail(S_dbLib_badField, "j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{\"z\":{\"fail\":5}}");
+    testdbPutFieldOk("j1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.VAL", DBF_LONG, 4);
+    /* put failure in parsing stage doesn't modify link */
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("j1.INP", DBF_STRING, "{\"z\":{\"good\":4}}");
+
+    testNumZ(3);
+
+    testIocShutdownOk();
+
+    testNumZ(0);
+
+    testdbCleanup();
+}
+
 MAIN(dbPutLinkTest)
 {
-    testPlan(280);
+    testPlan(301);
     testLinkParse();
     testLinkFailParse();
     testCADBSet();
@@ -543,5 +609,6 @@ MAIN(dbPutLinkTest)
     testHWMod();
     testLinkInitFail();
     testLinkFail();
+    testJLink();
     return testDone();
 }
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTestJ.db b/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTestJ.db
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..25cf4c822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/dbPutLinkTestJ.db
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+
+record(x, "j1") {
+  field(INP, {z:{good:1}})
+}
+
+record(x, "j2") {
+  field(INP, {z:{good:2}})
+}
+
+record(x, "j3") {
+  field(INP, {z:{good:3}})
+}
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/devx.c b/src/ioc/db/test/devx.c
index 6cd01202a..c5527f14e 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/devx.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/devx.c
@@ -147,8 +147,7 @@ static long xsoft_init_record(xRecord *prec)
 
 static long xsoft_read(xRecord *prec)
 {
-    dbGetLink(&prec->inp, DBR_DOUBLE, &prec->val, NULL, NULL);
-    return 0;
+    return dbGetLink(&prec->inp, DBR_LONG, &prec->val, NULL, NULL);
 }
 
 static struct xdset devxSoft = {
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
index 79b642ebd..6602a22b0 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.c
@@ -14,19 +14,15 @@
 #include <dbJLink.h>
 #include <dbDefs.h>
 #include <dbConvertFast.h>
-#include <epicsAtomic.h>
 #include <epicsMutex.h>
+#include <epicsAtomic.h>
 #include <epicsUnitTest.h>
 
-int numzalloc;
+#define epicsExportSharedSymbols
 
-typedef struct {
-    jlink base;
-    epicsMutexId lock;
-    unsigned isset:1;
-    unsigned isopen:1;
-    epicsInt32 value;
-} zpriv;
+#include "jlinkz.h"
+
+int numzalloc;
 
 
 static
@@ -37,6 +33,7 @@ void z_open(struct link *plink)
     if(priv->isopen)
         testDiag("lsetZ re-open");
     priv->isopen = 1;
+    testDiag("Open jlinkz %p", priv);
 }
 
 static
@@ -51,8 +48,11 @@ void z_remove(struct dbLocker *locker, struct link *plink)
 
     epicsMutexUnlock(priv->lock);
 
+    testDiag("Remove/free jlinkz %p", priv);
+
     epicsAtomicDecrIntT(&numzalloc);
 
+    epicsMutexDestroy(priv->lock);
     free(priv);
     plink->value.json.jlink = NULL; /* paranoia */
 }
@@ -153,11 +153,20 @@ jlink* z_alloc(short dbfType)
 {
     zpriv *priv;
     priv = calloc(1, sizeof(*priv));
-    if(!priv) return NULL;
+    if(!priv) goto fail;
+
+    priv->lock = epicsMutexCreate();
+    if(!priv->lock) goto fail;
 
     epicsAtomicIncrIntT(&numzalloc);
 
+    testDiag("Alloc jlinkz %p", priv);
+
     return &priv->base;
+fail:
+    if(priv && priv->lock) epicsMutexDestroy(priv->lock);
+    free(priv);
+    return NULL;
 }
 
 static
@@ -166,10 +175,13 @@ void z_free(jlink *pj)
     zpriv *priv = CONTAINER(pj, zpriv, base);
 
     if(priv->isopen)
-        testDiag("lsetZ jlink free after open()\n");
+        testDiag("lsetZ jlink free after open()");
+
+    testDiag("Free jlinkz %p", priv);
 
     epicsAtomicDecrIntT(&numzalloc);
 
+    epicsMutexDestroy(priv->lock);
     free(priv);
 }
 
@@ -193,8 +205,14 @@ jlif_key_result z_start(jlink *pj)
 static
 jlif_result z_key(jlink *pj, const char *key, size_t len)
 {
-    if(strcmp(key,"fail")==0) return jlif_stop;
-    else                      return jlif_continue;
+    zpriv *priv = CONTAINER(pj, zpriv, base);
+
+    if(len==4 && strncmp(key,"fail", len)==0) {
+        testDiag("Found fail key jlinkz %p", priv);
+        return jlif_stop;
+    } else {
+        return jlif_continue;
+    }
 }
 
 static
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.h b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c34d2eec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/jlinkz.h
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*************************************************************************\
+* Copyright (c) 2016 Michael Davidsaver
+* EPICS BASE is distributed subject to a Software License Agreement found
+* in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution.
+ \*************************************************************************/
+
+#ifndef JLINKZ_H
+#define JLINKZ_H
+
+#include <dbJLink.h>
+#include <epicsMutex.h>
+#include <epicsTypes.h>
+
+#include <shareLib.h>
+
+epicsShareExtern
+int numzalloc;
+
+typedef struct {
+    jlink base;
+    epicsMutexId lock;
+    unsigned isset:1;
+    unsigned isopen:1;
+    epicsInt32 value;
+} zpriv;
+
+#endif /* JLINKZ_H */