diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
index df9f5ac99..2965c436b 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.c
@@ -42,14 +42,16 @@ void testdbReadDatabase(const char* file,
                   file, path, substitutions);
 }
 
-int testIocInitOk(void)
+void testIocInitOk(void)
 {
-    return iocBuildIsolated() || iocRun();
+    if(iocBuildIsolated() || iocRun())
+        testAbort("Failed to start up test database");
 }
 
-int testIocShutdownOk(void)
+void testIocShutdownOk(void)
 {
-    return iocShutdown();
+    if(iocShutdown())
+        testAbort("Failed to shutdown test database");
 }
 
 void testdbCleanup(void)
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.h b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.h
index 8a1b28463..eccdd8a14 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.h
+++ b/src/ioc/db/dbUnitTest.h
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ epicsShareFunc void testdbPrepare(void);
 epicsShareFunc void testdbReadDatabase(const char* file,
                                        const char* path,
                                        const char* substitutions);
-epicsShareFunc int testIocInitOk(void);
-epicsShareFunc int testIocShutdownOk(void);
+epicsShareFunc void testIocInitOk(void);
+epicsShareFunc void testIocShutdownOk(void);
 epicsShareFunc void testdbCleanup(void);
 
 /* Scalar only version.
diff --git a/src/ioc/db/test/dbShutdownTest.c b/src/ioc/db/test/dbShutdownTest.c
index 850b22989..b74b68d08 100644
--- a/src/ioc/db/test/dbShutdownTest.c
+++ b/src/ioc/db/test/dbShutdownTest.c
@@ -72,19 +72,19 @@ void cycle(void) {
 
     testdbReadDatabase("xRecord.db", NULL, NULL);
 
-    testOk1(!testIocInitOk());
+    testIocInitOk();
 
     epicsThreadMap(findCommonThread);
     checkCommonThreads();
 
-    testOk1(testIocShutdownOk()==0);
+    testIocShutdownOk();
 
     testdbCleanup();
 }
 
 MAIN(dbShutdownTest)
 {
-    testPlan(14);
+    testPlan(10);
 
     cycle();
     cycle();