diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c b/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
index 1c01da331..4fb25f0bd 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbAccess.c
@@ -682,6 +682,19 @@ finish:
     return status;
 }
 
+void dbInitEntryFromChannel(struct dbAddr *paddr, DBENTRY *pdbentry)
+{
+    struct dbCommon *prec = paddr->precord;
+    pdbentry->pdbbase = pdbbase;
+    pdbentry->precordType = prec->rdes;
+    pdbentry->precnode = prec->rnde;
+    pdbentry->pflddes = paddr->pfldDes;
+    pdbentry->pinfonode = NULL;
+    pdbentry->pfield = paddr->pfield;
+    pdbentry->indfield = -1; /* invalid */
+    pdbentry->message = NULL;
+}
+
 long dbValueSize(short dbr_type)
 {
     /* sizes for value associated with each DBR request type */
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbCommon.dbd b/src/ioc/db/dbCommon.dbd
index 1b093e6a8..2df9957b8 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbCommon.dbd
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbCommon.dbd
@@ -217,6 +217,12 @@
 		interest(4)
 		extra("struct dbRecordType *rdes")
 	}
+	field(RNDE,DBF_NOACCESS) {
+		prompt("Address of dbRecordNode")
+		special(SPC_NOMOD)
+		interest(4)
+		extra("struct dbRecordNode *rnde")
+	}
 	field(LSET,DBF_NOACCESS) {
 		prompt("Lock Set")
 		special(SPC_NOMOD)
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile b/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
index 17941a2bc..e3d4164ff 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/Makefile
@@ -159,6 +159,13 @@ testHarness_SRCS += dbPutGetTest.c
 TESTFILES += ../dbPutGetTest.db
 TESTS += testPutGetTest
 
+TESTPROD_HOST += dbStaticTest
+dbStaticTest_SRCS += dbStaticTest.c
+dbStaticTest_SRCS += dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp
+testHarness_SRCS += dbStaticTest.c
+TESTFILES += ../dbStaticTest.db
+TESTS += dbStaticTest
+
 # This runs all the test programs in a known working order:
 testHarness_SRCS += epicsRunDbTests.c
 
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.c b/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b6110162b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.c
@@ -0,0 +1,92 @@
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include <errlog.h>
+#include <dbAccess.h>
+#include <dbStaticLib.h>
+#include <dbStaticPvt.h>
+#include <dbUnitTest.h>
+#include <testMain.h>
+
+static void testEntry(void)
+{
+    DBENTRY entry;
+
+    testDiag("testEntry");
+
+    dbInitEntry(pdbbase, &entry);
+
+    testOk1(dbFindRecord(&entry, "testrec.VAL")==0);
+
+    testOk1(entry.precordType && strcmp(entry.precordType->name, "x")==0);
+    testOk1(entry.precnode && strcmp(((dbCommon*)entry.precnode->precord)->name, "testrec")==0);
+    testOk1(entry.pflddes && strcmp(entry.pflddes->name, "VAL")==0);
+
+    testOk1(dbFindInfo(&entry, "A")==0 && strcmp(dbGetInfoString(&entry), "B")==0);
+
+    dbFinishEntry(&entry);
+}
+
+static void testAddr2Entry(void)
+{
+    DBENTRY entry, entry2;
+    dbAddr addr;
+
+    testDiag("testAddr2Entry");
+
+    memset(&entry, 0, sizeof(entry));
+    memset(&entry2, 0, sizeof(entry2));
+
+    dbInitEntry(pdbbase, &entry);
+
+    if(dbFindRecord(&entry, "testrec.VAL")!=0)
+        testAbort("no entry for testrec.VAL");
+
+    if(dbNameToAddr("testrec.VAL", &addr))
+        testAbort("no addr for testrec.VAL");
+
+    dbInitEntryFromChannel(&addr, &entry2);
+
+    testOk1(entry.pdbbase==entry2.pdbbase);
+    testOk1(entry.precordType==entry2.precordType);
+    testOk1(entry.pflddes==entry2.pflddes);
+    testOk1(entry.precnode==entry2.precnode);
+    testOk1(entry.pfield==entry2.pfield);
+    testOk1(entry2.indfield==-1);
+    testOk1(!entry2.pinfonode);
+    testOk1(!entry2.message);
+
+    /* no way to look this up, so not set */
+    entry.indfield = -1;
+
+    testOk1(memcmp(&entry, &entry2, sizeof(entry))==0);
+
+    dbFinishEntry(&entry);
+}
+
+void dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(struct dbBase *);
+
+MAIN(dbStaticTest)
+{
+    testPlan(19);
+    testdbPrepare();
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("dbTestIoc.dbd", NULL, NULL);
+    dbTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase);
+    testdbReadDatabase("dbStaticTest.db", NULL, NULL);
+
+    testEntry();
+
+    eltc(0);
+    testIocInitOk();
+    eltc(1);
+
+    testEntry();
+    testAddr2Entry();
+
+    testIocShutdownOk();
+
+    testdbCleanup();
+
+    return testDone();
+}
+
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.db b/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.db
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d44592979
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/dbStaticTest.db
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+
+record(x, "testrec") {
+    info("A", "B")
+}
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/epicsRunDbTests.c b/src/ioc/db/test/epicsRunDbTests.c
index 10f10e267..69f6b082e 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/epicsRunDbTests.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/epicsRunDbTests.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ int dbScanTest(void);
 int scanIoTest(void);
 int dbLockTest(void);
 int dbPutLinkTest(void);
+int dbStaticTest(void);
 int dbCaLinkTest(void);
 int testDbChannel(void);
 int chfPluginTest(void);
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ void epicsRunDbTests(void)
     runTest(scanIoTest);
     runTest(dbLockTest);
     runTest(dbPutLinkTest);
+    runTest(dbStaticTest);
     runTest(dbCaLinkTest);
     runTest(testDbChannel);
     runTest(arrShorthandTest);
diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.h b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.h
index 1619a9090..23eeba349 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.h
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticLib.h
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ typedef struct{
     char         *message;
     short        indfield;
 } DBENTRY;
-
+
+struct dbAddr;
+
 /*dbDumpFldDes is obsolete. It is only provided for compatibility*/
 #define dbDumpFldDes dbDumpField
 
@@ -67,6 +69,11 @@ epicsShareFunc DBENTRY * dbAllocEntry(DBBASE *pdbbase);
 epicsShareFunc void dbFreeEntry(DBENTRY *pdbentry);
 epicsShareFunc void dbInitEntry(DBBASE *pdbbase,
     DBENTRY *pdbentry);
+/** Initialize DBENTRY from a valid dbAddr*.
+ * Constant time equivalent of dbInitEntry() then dbFindRecord()
+ * except that DBENTRY::indfield is not set
+ */
+epicsShareFunc void dbInitEntryFromChannel(struct dbAddr *paddr, DBENTRY *pdbentry);
 epicsShareFunc void dbFinishEntry(DBENTRY *pdbentry);
 epicsShareFunc DBENTRY * dbCopyEntry(DBENTRY *pdbentry);
 epicsShareFunc void dbCopyEntryContents(DBENTRY *pfrom,
diff --git a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticRun.c b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticRun.c
index f4a9d0709..a08322abf 100644
--- a/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticRun.c
+++ b/src/ioc/dbStatic/dbStaticRun.c
@@ -79,8 +79,14 @@ long dbAllocRecord(DBENTRY *pdbentry,const char *precordName)
         epicsPrintf("dbAllocRecord(%s) with %s rec_size = 0\n",
                     precordName, pdbRecordType->name);
         return(S_dbLib_noRecSup);
+    } else if(pdbRecordType->rec_size<sizeof(*precord)) {
+        printf("\t*** Recordtype %s must include \"dbCommon.dbd\"\n", pdbRecordType->name);
+        epicsPrintf("dbAllocRecord(%s) with %s rec_size = %d\n",
+                    precordName, pdbRecordType->name, pdbRecordType->rec_size);
+        return(S_dbLib_noRecSup);
     }
     precord = dbCalloc(1, pdbRecordType->rec_size);
+    precord->rnde = precnode;
     precnode->precord = precord;
     pflddes = pdbRecordType->papFldDes[0];
     if(!pflddes) {