diff --git a/src/db/dbCa.c b/src/db/dbCa.c
index 838c6272d..b6fd96978 100644
--- a/src/db/dbCa.c
+++ b/src/db/dbCa.c
@@ -62,6 +62,8 @@ STATIC epicsEventId workListEvent; /*wakeup event for dbCaTask*/
 STATIC int removesOutstanding = 0;
 STATIC int removesOutstandingWarning = 10000;
 
+struct ca_client_context * dbCaClientContext;
+
 void dbCaTask(void); /*The Channel Access Task*/
 extern void dbServiceIOInit();
 
@@ -702,6 +704,7 @@ void dbCaTask()
     taskwdInsert(epicsThreadGetIdSelf(),NULL,NULL);
     SEVCHK(ca_context_create(ca_enable_preemptive_callback),
         "dbCaTask calling ca_context_create");
+    dbCaClientContext = ca_current_context ();
     SEVCHK(ca_add_exception_event(exceptionCallback,NULL),
         "ca_add_exception_event");
     /*Dont do anything until iocInit initializes database*/
diff --git a/src/db/dbCa.h b/src/db/dbCa.h
index 9cd1ab116..968d9151a 100644
--- a/src/db/dbCa.h
+++ b/src/db/dbCa.h
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ epicsShareFunc long epicsShareAPI dbCaGetPrecision(
 epicsShareFunc long epicsShareAPI dbCaGetUnits(
     const struct link *plink,char *units,int unitsSize);
 
+extern struct ca_client_context * dbCaClientContext;
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/src/db/dbCaTest.c b/src/db/dbCaTest.c
index b7ee8f2ab..3bf236525 100644
--- a/src/db/dbCaTest.c
+++ b/src/db/dbCaTest.c
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ done:
     printf(" nDisconnect %lu nNoWrite %lu\n",nDisconnect,nNoWrite);
     dbFinishEntry(pdbentry);
     
-    if ( level > 2 ) {
-        ca_client_status ( level - 2 );
+    if ( level > 2  && dbCaClientContext != 0 ) {
+        ca_context_status ( dbCaClientContext, level - 2 );
     }
 
     return(0);