diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/clang/epicsAtomicCD.h b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/clang/epicsAtomicCD.h
index 54465d6f4..00fa24e4b 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/clang/epicsAtomicCD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/clang/epicsAtomicCD.h
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 #   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE __inline__
 #endif
 
+/* 
+ * we have an inline keyword so we can proceed
+ * with an os specific inline instantiation
+ */
 #include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 
 #endif /* epicsAtomicCD_h */
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/default/epicsAtomicCD.h b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/default/epicsAtomicCD.h
index d07dfb24f..3ca260759 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/default/epicsAtomicCD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/default/epicsAtomicCD.h
@@ -18,8 +18,13 @@
 
 #if __STDC_VERSION__ >= 199901L || defined ( __cplusplus )
 #   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE inline
+    /*
+     * We have already defined the public interface in epicsAtomic.h
+     * so there is nothing more to implement if there isnt an inline 
+     * keyword available. Otherwise, if we have an inline keyword
+     * we will proceed with an os specific inline implementation.
+     */
+#   include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 #endif
 
-#include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
-
 #endif /* epicsAtomicCD_h */
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/msvc/epicsAtomicCD.h b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/msvc/epicsAtomicCD.h
index ca9295f73..f834f0405 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/msvc/epicsAtomicCD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/msvc/epicsAtomicCD.h
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE void epicsAtomicWriteMemoryBarrier ()
 
 /* 
  * if unavailable as an intrinsic we will try
- * for os specific solution
+ * for os specific inline solution
  */
 #include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/solStudio/epicsAtomicCD.h b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/solStudio/epicsAtomicCD.h
index e247a5e49..60083cf71 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/compiler/solStudio/epicsAtomicCD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/compiler/solStudio/epicsAtomicCD.h
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@
 #   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE __inline
 #endif
 
+/* 
+ * we have an inline keyword so we can proceed
+ * with an os specific inline instantiation
+ */
 #include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 
 #endif /* epicsAtomicCD_h */
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomic.h b/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomic.h
index 436da7bd0..c4ff6d65f 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomic.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomic.h
@@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ epicsShareFunc EpicsAtomicPtrT epicsAtomicCmpAndSwapPtrT (
  * options for inline compiler instrinsic or os specific 
  * implementations of the above function prototypes
  *
- * its importnat for certaiin compiler to define the
+ * for some of the compilers we must define the
  * inline functions before they get used in the c++ 
- * code below
+ * inine functions below
  */
 #include "epicsAtomicCD.h"
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomicDefault.h b/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomicDefault.h
index ff1f91114..ec0975daf 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomicDefault.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/epicsAtomicDefault.h
@@ -16,12 +16,6 @@
 #ifndef epicsAtomicDefault_h
 #define epicsAtomicDefault_h
 
-/* 
- * EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE might be defined, but empty for an out-of-line 
- * instantiation
- */
-#ifdef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE 
-
 #ifdef __cpluplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
@@ -228,8 +222,6 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE EpicsAtomicPtrT epicsAtomicCmpAndSwapPtrT (
 } /* end of extern "C" */
 #endif
 
-#endif /* EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE */
-
 #endif /* epicsAtomicDefault_h */
 
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
index b7f7b17c2..e3f684e29 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 // if the compiler is unable to inline then instantiate out-of-line
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#include "epicsAtomic.h"
+#   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
+#   include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 #endif
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.h b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.h
index f9378c1c6..00b6cc606 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/epicsAtomicOSD.h
@@ -40,10 +40,8 @@
 #   define MS_InterlockedCompareExchange InterlockedCompareExchange64
 #endif
 
-#ifdef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#    include "epicsAtomicMS.h"
-#    include "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
-#endif
+#include "epicsAtomicMS.h"
+#include "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
 
 #endif /* epicsAtomicOSD_h */
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp b/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
index 2fb06c36f..a8173f894 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
@@ -7,31 +7,22 @@
 \*************************************************************************/
 
 /*
- *  Author Jeffrey O. Hill
+ *  Author: Jeffrey O. Hill
  *  johill@lanl.gov
  */
 
-#define epicsExportSharedSymbols
-#include "epicsAtomic.h"
-
-// if the compiler is unable to inline then instantiate out-of-line
-#ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#include "epicsAtomic.h"
-#endif
-
-/* Authors: Jeffrey O. Hill */
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <pthread.h>
 
 #define epicsExportSharedSymbols
 #include "epicsAssert.h"
+#include "epicsAtomic.h"
 
 // if the compiler is unable to inline then instantiate out-of-line
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#include "epicsAtomic.h"
+#   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
+#   include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 #endif
 
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_LOCK
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.h b/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.h
index 5446f23ef..4f14fa39c 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/posix/epicsAtomicOSD.h
@@ -22,11 +22,7 @@ epicsShareFunc void epicsAtomicWriteMemoryBarrier ();
 epicsShareFunc void epicsAtomicLock ( struct EpicsAtomicLockKey * );
 epicsShareFunc void epicsAtomicUnlock ( struct EpicsAtomicLockKey * );
 
-#ifdef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-
 #include "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
 
-#endif /* ifdef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE */
-
 #endif /* epicsAtomicOSD_h */
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/solaris/epicsAtomicOSD.h b/src/libCom/osi/os/solaris/epicsAtomicOSD.h
index e377a770b..b591c6b79 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/solaris/epicsAtomicOSD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/solaris/epicsAtomicOSD.h
@@ -16,22 +16,22 @@
 #ifndef epicsAtomicOSD_h
 #define epicsAtomicOSD_h
 
-#if defined ( EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE )
+#if defined ( __SunOS_5_10 )
 
 /* 
  * atomic.h exists only in Solaris 10 or higher
  */
-#if defined ( __SunOS_5_10 )
-
 #include <atomic.h>
 
+#include "epicsAssert.h"
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
 
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_READ_MEMORY_BARRIER
 #define EPICS_ATOMIC_READ_MEMORY_BARRIER
-EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE int epicsAtomicReadMemoryBarrier ()  
+EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE void epicsAtomicReadMemoryBarrier ()  
 {
     membar_consumer ();
 }
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE int epicsAtomicReadMemoryBarrier ()
 
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_WRITE_MEMORY_BARRIER
 #define EPICS_ATOMIC_WRITE_MEMORY_BARRIER
-EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE int epicsAtomicWriteMemoryBarrier ()  
+EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE void epicsAtomicWriteMemoryBarrier ()  
 {
     membar_producer ();
 }
@@ -51,19 +51,20 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE int epicsAtomicCmpAndSwapIntT ( int * pTarget,
                                                int oldVal, int newVal )
 {
     STATIC_ASSERT ( sizeof ( int ) == sizeof ( unsigned ) );
-    return ( int ) atomic_cas_uint ( pTarget, ( unsigned ) oldVal, 
+    unsigned * const pTarg = reinterpret_cast < unsigned * > ( pTarget );
+    return ( int ) atomic_cas_uint ( pTarg, ( unsigned ) oldVal, 
                                         ( unsigned ) newVal );
 }
 #endif
 
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_CAS_SIZET
 #define EPICS_ATOMIC_CAS_SIZET
-EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE EpicsAtomicPtrT epicsAtomicCmpAndSwapSizeT ( 
+EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE size_t epicsAtomicCmpAndSwapSizeT ( 
                                                   size_t * pTarget,
                                                   size_t oldVal, size_t newVal )
 {
     STATIC_ASSERT ( sizeof ( void * ) == sizeof ( size_t ) );
-    void ** ppPtr = (void **) pTarget;
+    void ** const ppPtr = (void **) pTarget;
     return ( size_t ) atomic_cas_ptr ( ppPtr, ( void * )oldVal, ( void * )newVal );
 }
 #endif
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE size_t epicsAtomicSubSizeT ( size_t * pTarget,
 {
     STATIC_ASSERT ( sizeof ( void * ) == sizeof ( size_t ) );
     void ** const pTarg = ( void ** ) ( pTarget );
-    ssize_t = sdelta = ( ssize_t ) delta;
+    ssize_t sdelta = ( ssize_t ) delta;
     return ( size_t ) atomic_add_ptr_nv ( pTarg, -sdelta );
 }
 #endif
@@ -156,11 +157,28 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE size_t epicsAtomicSubSizeT ( size_t * pTarget,
 } /* end of extern "C" */
 #endif /* __cplusplus */
 
+#else /* ifdef __SunOS_5_10 */
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+extern "C" {
+#endif /* __cplusplus */
+
+/* 
+ * its less than 5.10 so we forward reference to the out-of-line posix 
+ * pthread lock implementation of epicsAtomicLock and epicsAtomicUnlock
+ * before including "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
+ */
+struct EpicsAtomicLockKey {};
+epicsShareFunc void epicsAtomicLock ( struct EpicsAtomicLockKey * );
+epicsShareFunc void epicsAtomicUnlock ( struct EpicsAtomicLockKey * );
+
+#ifdef __cplusplus
+} /* end of extern "C" */
+#endif /* __cplusplus */
+
 #endif /* ifdef __SunOS_5_10 */
 
 #include "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
 
-#endif /* if defined ( EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE ) */
-
 #endif /* epicsAtomicOSD_h */
 
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
index b7f7b17c2..6a9f529a3 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.cpp
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 
 // if the compiler is unable to inline then instantiate out-of-line
 #ifndef EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
-#include "epicsAtomic.h"
+#   define EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE
+#   include "epicsAtomicOSD.h"
 #endif
-
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.h b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.h
index c52d991b0..2cf981f14 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.h
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/vxWorks/epicsAtomicOSD.h
@@ -15,8 +15,6 @@
 #ifndef epicsAtomicOSD_h
 #define epicsAtomicOSD_h
 
-#if defined ( EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE )
-
 #include "vxWorks.h" /* obtain the version of vxWorks */
 #include "epicsAssert.h"
 
@@ -249,7 +247,5 @@ EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE void epicsAtomicWriteMemoryBarrier () {}
 
 #include "epicsAtomicDefault.h"
 
-#endif /* if defined ( EPICS_ATOMIC_INLINE ) */
-
 #endif /* epicsAtomicOSD_h */