diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/Makefile b/src/std/rec/test/Makefile
index 793312f9a..90c7bab16 100644
--- a/src/std/rec/test/Makefile
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/Makefile
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ testHarness_SRCS += linkRetargetLinkTest.c
 TESTFILES += ../linkRetargetLink.db
 TESTS += linkRetargetLinkTest
 
+TESTPROD_HOST += linkInitTest
+linkInitTest_SRCS += linkInitTest.c
+linkInitTest_SRCS += recTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp
+testHarness_SRCS += linkInitTest.c
+TESTFILES += ../linkInitTest.db
+TESTS += linkInitTest
+
 TESTPROD_HOST += compressTest
 compressTest_SRCS += compressTest.c
 compressTest_SRCS += recTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver.cpp
diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/epicsRunRecordTests.c b/src/std/rec/test/epicsRunRecordTests.c
index 5612917cc..8b1d30d59 100644
--- a/src/std/rec/test/epicsRunRecordTests.c
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/epicsRunRecordTests.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ int compressTest(void);
 int arrayOpTest(void);
 int asTest(void);
 int linkRetargetLinkTest(void);
+int linkInitTest(void);
 
 void epicsRunRecordTests(void)
 {
@@ -32,5 +33,7 @@ void epicsRunRecordTests(void)
 
     runTest(linkRetargetLinkTest);
 
+    runTest(linkInitTest);
+
     epicsExit(0);   /* Trigger test harness */
 }
diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.c b/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.c
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f904ffa67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.c
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/*************************************************************************\
+* Copyright (c) 2015 Michael Davidsaver
+* EPICS BASE is distributed subject to a Software License Agreement found
+* in file LICENSE that is included with this distribution.
+\*************************************************************************/
+
+
+#define EPICS_DBCA_PRIVATE_API
+
+#include <string.h>
+
+#include "dbAccess.h"
+#include "alarm.h"
+#include "dbUnitTest.h"
+#include "errlog.h"
+#include "epicsThread.h"
+
+#include "testMain.h"
+
+void recTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(struct dbBase *);
+
+static void testLongStringInit()
+{
+    testDiag("testLongStringInit");
+
+    testdbPrepare();
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("recTestIoc.dbd", NULL, NULL);
+
+    recTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase);
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("linkInitTest.db", NULL, NULL);
+
+    eltc(0);
+    testIocInitOk();
+    eltc(1);
+
+    {
+        const char buf[] = "!----------------------------------------------!";
+        testdbGetArrFieldEqual("longstr1.VAL$", DBF_CHAR, NELEMENTS(buf)+2, NELEMENTS(buf), buf);
+        testdbGetFieldEqual("longstr1.VAL", DBR_STRING, "!--------------------------------------");
+    }
+
+    {
+        const char buf[] = "!----------------------------------------------!";
+        testdbGetArrFieldEqual("longstr2.VAL$", DBF_CHAR, NELEMENTS(buf)+2, NELEMENTS(buf), buf);
+        testdbGetFieldEqual("longstr2.VAL", DBR_STRING, "!--------------------------------------");
+    }
+
+    {
+        const char buf[] = "!----------------------------------------------!";
+        testdbGetArrFieldEqual("longstr3.VAL$", DBF_CHAR, NELEMENTS(buf)+2, NELEMENTS(buf), buf);
+        testdbGetFieldEqual("longstr3.VAL", DBR_STRING, "!--------------------------------------");
+    }
+
+    testIocShutdownOk();
+
+    testdbCleanup();
+}
+
+static void testCalcInit()
+{
+    testDiag("testCalcInit");
+
+    testdbPrepare();
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("recTestIoc.dbd", NULL, NULL);
+
+    recTestIoc_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase);
+
+    testdbReadDatabase("linkInitTest.db", NULL, NULL);
+
+    eltc(0);
+    testIocInitOk();
+    eltc(1);
+
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink.VAL", DBR_DOUBLE, 0.0);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink.SEVR", DBR_LONG, INVALID_ALARM);
+
+    testdbPutFieldOk("emptylink.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink.VAL", DBR_DOUBLE, 0.0);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink.SEVR", DBR_LONG, 0);
+
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink1.VAL", DBR_DOUBLE, 0.0);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink1.SEVR", DBR_LONG, INVALID_ALARM);
+
+    testdbPutFieldOk("emptylink1.PROC", DBF_LONG, 1);
+
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink1.VAL", DBR_DOUBLE, 1.0);
+    testdbGetFieldEqual("emptylink1.SEVR", DBR_LONG, 0);
+
+    testIocShutdownOk();
+
+    testdbCleanup();
+}
+
+MAIN(linkInitTest)
+{
+    testPlan(16);
+    testLongStringInit();
+    testCalcInit();
+    return testDone();
+}
diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.db b/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.db
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..15230c30a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/linkInitTest.db
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+
+record(lsi, "longstr1") {
+  field(SIZV, "100")
+  field(INP, ["!----------------------------------------------!"])
+}
+
+record(lsi, "longstr2") {
+  field(SIZV, "100")
+  field(INP, {const: ["!----------------------------------------------!"]})
+}
+
+record(lsi, "longstr3") {
+  field(SIZV, "100")
+  field(INP, {const: "!----------------------------------------------!"})
+}
+
+record(ai, "emptylink" ) {
+  field(INP, {calc: {expr:"0"}})
+}
+
+record(ai, "emptylink1" ) {
+  field(INP, {calc: {expr:"1"}})
+}