diff --git a/src/db/dbTest.c b/src/db/dbTest.c
index 2c9350d6f..b827465bb 100644
--- a/src/db/dbTest.c
+++ b/src/db/dbTest.c
@@ -336,7 +336,6 @@ long epicsShareAPI dbpf(const char *pname,const char *pvalue)
 {
     DBADDR addr;
     long status;
-    epicsUInt16 value;
     short dbrType;
     long n = 1;
 
@@ -348,16 +347,7 @@ long epicsShareAPI dbpf(const char *pname,const char *pvalue)
     if (nameToAddr(pname, &addr))
         return -1;
 
-    /* For enumerated types must allow for ENUM rather than string */
-    /* If entire field is digits then use DBR_ENUM else DBR_STRING */
-    if (addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_ENUM && *pvalue &&
-        strspn(pvalue,"0123456789") == strlen(pvalue)) {
-
-        sscanf(pvalue, "%hu", &value);
-        pvalue = (char *) &value;
-        dbrType = DBR_ENUM;
-    }
-    else if (addr.no_elements > 1 &&
+    if (addr.no_elements > 1 &&
         (addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_CHAR || addr.dbr_field_type == DBR_UCHAR)) {
         dbrType = addr.dbr_field_type;
         n = strlen(pvalue) + 1;