diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbDbLink.c b/src/ioc/db/dbDbLink.c
index 0013d1b34..e4e86316c 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbDbLink.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbDbLink.c
@@ -93,13 +93,18 @@ void dbDbAddLink(struct dbLocker *locker, struct link *plink, short dbfType,
 static void dbDbRemoveLink(struct dbLocker *locker, struct link *plink)
 {
     DBADDR *pdbAddr = (DBADDR *) plink->value.pv_link.pvt;
-    plink->value.pv_link.pvt = 0;
-    plink->value.pv_link.getCvt = 0;
-    plink->value.pv_link.pvlMask = 0;
-    plink->value.pv_link.lastGetdbrType = 0;
+
     plink->type = PV_LINK;
-    ellDelete(&pdbAddr->precord->bklnk, &plink->value.pv_link.backlinknode);
-    dbLockSetSplit(locker, plink->precord, pdbAddr->precord);
+
+    /* locker is NULL when an isolated IOC is closing its links */
+    if (locker) {
+        plink->value.pv_link.pvt = 0;
+        plink->value.pv_link.getCvt = 0;
+        plink->value.pv_link.pvlMask = 0;
+        plink->value.pv_link.lastGetdbrType = 0;
+        ellDelete(&pdbAddr->precord->bklnk, &plink->value.pv_link.backlinknode);
+        dbLockSetSplit(locker, plink->precord, pdbAddr->precord);
+    }
     free(pdbAddr);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
index 2bcccf35d..d0483e55a 100644
--- a/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
+++ b/src/ioc/misc/iocInit.c
@@ -641,14 +641,11 @@ static void doCloseLinks(dbRecordType *pdbRecordType, dbCommon *precord,
                 dbScanLock(precord);
                 locked = 1;
             }
-            if(plink->lset)
-                (*plink->lset->removeLink)(NULL, plink);
-
-        } else if (iocBuildMode==buildIsolated && plink->type == DB_LINK) {
-            /* free link, but don't split lockset like dbDbRemoveLink() */
-            free(plink->value.pv_link.pvt);
-            plink->type = PV_LINK;
-            plink->lset = NULL;
+            dbRemoveLink(NULL, plink);
+        }
+        else if (iocBuildMode==buildIsolated && plink->type == DB_LINK) {
+            /* free link, but don't split lockset */
+            dbRemoveLink(NULL, plink);
         }
     }