diff --git a/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.c b/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.c
index 0fbed224b..3de8bc6b2 100644
--- a/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.c
+++ b/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 
 #define epicsExportSharedSymbols
 #include "ellLib.h"
+#include "errlog.h"
 #include "epicsThread.h"
 #include "epicsMutex.h"
 #include "cantProceed.h"
@@ -48,10 +49,13 @@ typedef struct exitPvt {
 int atExitDebug = 0;
 
 static epicsThreadOnceId exitPvtOnce = EPICS_THREAD_ONCE_INIT;
+static epicsThreadOnceId exitLaterOnce = EPICS_THREAD_ONCE_INIT;
 static exitPvt * pExitPvtPerProcess = 0;
 static epicsMutexId exitPvtLock = 0;
 static epicsThreadPrivateId exitPvtPerThread = 0;
 
+static int exitLaterStatus;
+
 static void destroyExitPvt(exitPvt * pep)
 {
     ellFree ( &pep->list );
@@ -179,6 +183,26 @@ epicsShareFunc void epicsExit(int status)
     exit(status);
 }
 
+static void exitNow(void *junk)
+{
+    epicsExit(exitLaterStatus);
+}
+
+static void exitLaterOnceFunc(void *raw)
+{
+    int *status = raw;
+    exitLaterStatus = *status;
+    epicsThreadMustCreate("exitLater",
+                      epicsThreadPriorityLow,
+                      epicsThreadGetStackSize(epicsThreadStackSmall),
+                      &exitNow, NULL);
+}
+
+epicsShareFunc void epicsExitLater(int status)
+{
+    epicsThreadOnce(&exitLaterOnce, &exitLaterOnceFunc, &status);
+}
+
 #include "epicsExport.h"
 
 epicsExportAddress(int,atExitDebug);
diff --git a/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.h b/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.h
index e64316010..3e961cbc1 100644
--- a/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.h
+++ b/src/libCom/misc/epicsExit.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ extern "C" {
 typedef void (*epicsExitFunc)(void *arg);
 
 epicsShareFunc void epicsExit(int status);
+epicsShareFunc void epicsExitLater(int status);
 epicsShareFunc void epicsExitCallAtExits(void);
 epicsShareFunc int epicsAtExit3(epicsExitFunc func, void *arg, const char* name);
 #define epicsAtExit(F,A) epicsAtExit3(F,A,#F)
diff --git a/src/std/softIoc/softMain.cpp b/src/std/softIoc/softMain.cpp
index a2b64eae8..13ecce884 100644
--- a/src/std/softIoc/softMain.cpp
+++ b/src/std/softIoc/softMain.cpp
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ const char *exit_db = EXIT_FILE;
 
 
 static void exitSubroutine(subRecord *precord) {
-    epicsExit((precord->a == 0.0) ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE);
+    epicsExitLater((precord->a == 0.0) ? EXIT_SUCCESS : EXIT_FAILURE);
 }
 
 static void usage(int status) {