diff --git a/src/std/dev/devAaiSoft.c b/src/std/dev/devAaiSoft.c
index ff985b088..768ddb00e 100644
--- a/src/std/dev/devAaiSoft.c
+++ b/src/std/dev/devAaiSoft.c
@@ -52,8 +52,11 @@ epicsExportAddress(dset,devAaiSoft);
 
 static long init_record(aaiRecord *prec)
 {
+    long nRequest = prec->nelm;
+
     if (prec->inp.type == CONSTANT) {
-        prec->nord = 0;
+        dbLoadLinkArray(&prec->inp, prec->ftvl, prec->bptr, &nRequest);
+        prec->nord = (nRequest > 0) ? nRequest : 0;
     }
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/src/std/dev/devWfSoft.c b/src/std/dev/devWfSoft.c
index c18b9007c..4128ed47a 100644
--- a/src/std/dev/devWfSoft.c
+++ b/src/std/dev/devWfSoft.c
@@ -49,22 +49,23 @@ epicsExportAddress(dset, devWfSoft);
 
 static long init_record(waveformRecord *prec)
 {
-    if (prec->inp.type == CONSTANT) {
-        prec->nord = 0;
-    }
-    return 0;
+    long nelm = prec->nelm;
+    long status = dbLoadLinkArray(&prec->inp, prec->ftvl, prec->bptr, &nelm);
+
+    prec->nord = !status && (nelm > 0) ? nelm : 0;
+    return status;
 }
 
 static long read_wf(waveformRecord *prec)
 {
     long nRequest = prec->nelm;
+    long status = dbGetLink(&prec->inp, prec->ftvl, prec->bptr, 0, &nRequest);
 
-    dbGetLink(&prec->inp, prec->ftvl, prec->bptr, 0, &nRequest);
-    if (nRequest > 0) {
+    if (!status && nRequest > 0) {
         prec->nord = nRequest;
         if (prec->tsel.type == CONSTANT &&
             prec->tse == epicsTimeEventDeviceTime)
             dbGetTimeStamp(&prec->inp, &prec->time);
     }
-    return 0;
+    return status;
 }
diff --git a/src/std/rec/aSubRecord.c b/src/std/rec/aSubRecord.c
index 0df5d5cad..2e0785087 100644
--- a/src/std/rec/aSubRecord.c
+++ b/src/std/rec/aSubRecord.c
@@ -130,8 +130,12 @@ static long init_record(aSubRecord *prec, int pass)
         struct link *plink = &(&prec->inpa)[i];
 
         if (plink->type == CONSTANT) {
-            if ((&prec->noa)[i] < 2)
-                recGblInitConstantLink(plink, (&prec->fta)[i], (&prec->a)[i]);
+            short dbr = (&prec->fta)[i];
+            long n = (&prec->noa)[i];
+
+            dbLoadLinkArray(plink, dbr, (&prec->a)[i], &n);
+            if (n > 0)
+                (&prec->nea)[i] = n;
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.c b/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.c
index 27c0becdd..d77921081 100644
--- a/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.c
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #include <string.h>
 
 #include "dbAccess.h"
+#include "dbTest.h"
 
 #include "dbUnitTest.h"
 #include "errlog.h"
@@ -45,16 +46,16 @@ static void testGetPutArray(void)
         testAbort("Failed to find record wfrec");
     memcpy(&save, &addr, sizeof(save));
 
-    testDiag("Fetch initial value");
+    testDiag("Fetch initial value of %s", prec->name);
 
     dbScanLock(addr.precord);
-    testOk1(prec->nord==0);
+    testOk(prec->nord==3, "prec->nord==3 (got %d)", prec->nord);
 
     nreq = NELEMENTS(data);
     if(dbGet(&addr, DBF_DOUBLE, &data, NULL, &nreq, NULL))
         testFail("dbGet fails");
     else {
-        testOk(nreq==0, "nreq==0 (got %ld)", nreq);
+        testOk(nreq==3, "nreq==3 (got %ld)", nreq);
     }
     dbScanUnlock(addr.precord);
 
@@ -101,10 +102,10 @@ static void testGetPutArray(void)
         testAbort("Failed to find record wfrec1");
     memcpy(&save, &addr, sizeof(save));
 
-    testDiag("Fetch initial value");
+    testDiag("Fetch initial value of %s", prec->name);
 
     dbScanLock(addr.precord);
-    testOk1(prec->nord==0);
+    testOk(prec->nord==0, "prec->nord==0 (got %d)", prec->nord);
 
     nreq = NELEMENTS(data);
     if(dbGet(&addr, DBF_DOUBLE, &data, NULL, &nreq, NULL))
diff --git a/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.db b/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.db
index fc809fbe9..1c011e755 100644
--- a/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.db
+++ b/src/std/rec/test/arrayOpTest.db
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 record(waveform, "wfrec") {
     field(NELM, "10")
     field(FTVL, "LONG")
+    field(INP, [1, 2, 3])
 }
 record(waveform, "wfrec1") {
     field(NELM, "1")