diff --git a/configure/CONFIG_ENV b/configure/CONFIG_ENV
index 173dceaca..22ace0090 100644
--- a/configure/CONFIG_ENV
+++ b/configure/CONFIG_ENV
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ EPICS_CA_CONN_TMO=30.0
 EPICS_CA_REPEATER_PORT=5065
 EPICS_CA_SERVER_PORT=5064
 EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES=16384
+EPICS_CA_AUTO_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES=NO
 EPICS_CA_BEACON_PERIOD=15.0
 EPICS_CA_MAX_SEARCH_PERIOD=300.0
 EPICS_CAS_BEACON_PERIOD=
diff --git a/src/ca/client/cac.cpp b/src/ca/client/cac.cpp
index c174b8992..f1d7f0903 100644
--- a/src/ca/client/cac.cpp
+++ b/src/ca/client/cac.cpp
@@ -55,14 +55,6 @@ static const char pVersionCAC[] =
     "@(#) " EPICS_VERSION_STRING
     ", CA Client Library " __DATE__;
 
-// when set, respect EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES
-// when clear, ignore it
-extern "C" {
-epicsShareExtern int caLimitArray;
-int caLimitArray;
-epicsExportAddress(int, caLimitArray);
-}
-
 // TCP response dispatch table
 const cac::pProtoStubTCP cac::tcpJumpTableCAC [] =
 {
@@ -227,6 +219,10 @@ cac::cac (
             throw std::bad_alloc ();
         }
 
+        int caLimitArray;
+        if(envGetBoolConfigParam(&EPICS_CA_AUTO_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES, &caLimitArray))
+            caLimitArray = 0;
+
         if(caLimitArray) {
             freeListInitPvt ( &this->tcpLargeRecvBufFreeList, this->maxRecvBytesTCP, 1 );
             if ( ! this->tcpLargeRecvBufFreeList ) {
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/dbCore.dbd b/src/ioc/misc/dbCore.dbd
index 067145a01..a2ce45806 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/dbCore.dbd
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/dbCore.dbd
@@ -22,6 +22,3 @@ variable(callbackParallelThreadsDefault,int)
 
 # Real-time operation
 variable(dbThreadRealtimeLock,int)
-
-# RSRV and dbCa (all local ca contexts)
-variable(caLimitArray, int)
diff --git a/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c b/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
index 3766d421d..0ca74c5b5 100644
--- a/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
+++ b/src/ioc/rsrv/caservertask.c
@@ -34,9 +34,6 @@
 #include "taskwd.h"
 #include "cantProceed.h"
 
-// defined in cac.cpp
-epicsShareExtern int caLimitArray;
-
 #include "epicsExport.h"
 
 #define epicsExportSharedSymbols
@@ -472,6 +469,7 @@ int rsrv_init (void)
     long maxBytesAsALong;
     long status;
     SOCKET *socks;
+    int caLimitArray;
 
     clientQlock = epicsMutexMustCreate();
 
@@ -530,6 +528,10 @@ int rsrv_init (void)
             rsrvSizeofLargeBufTCP = maxBytes;
         }
     }
+
+    if(envGetBoolConfigParam(&EPICS_CA_AUTO_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES, &caLimitArray))
+        caLimitArray = 0;
+
     if (caLimitArray)
         freeListInitPvt ( &rsrvLargeBufFreeListTCP, rsrvSizeofLargeBufTCP, 1 );
     else
diff --git a/src/libCom/env/envDefs.h b/src/libCom/env/envDefs.h
index 536e63635..0c9002d71 100644
--- a/src/libCom/env/envDefs.h
+++ b/src/libCom/env/envDefs.h
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_AUTO_ADDR_LIST;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_REPEATER_PORT;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_SERVER_PORT;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES;
+epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_AUTO_MAX_ARRAY_BYTES;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_MAX_SEARCH_PERIOD;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CA_NAME_SERVERS;
 epicsShareExtern const ENV_PARAM EPICS_CAS_INTF_ADDR_LIST;