diff --git a/src/misc/pv/status.h b/src/misc/pv/status.h
index 1bd9c3f..9093daa 100644
--- a/src/misc/pv/status.h
+++ b/src/misc/pv/status.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
             /**
              * Creates OK status; STATUSTYPE_OK, empty message and stackDump.
              */
-            Status();
+            Status() :m_statusType(STATUSTYPE_OK) {}
         	
         	/**
         	 * Create non-OK status.
@@ -65,25 +65,25 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
              */
             Status(StatusType type, std::string const & message, std::string const & stackDump);
         
-            ~Status();
+            virtual ~Status() {}
             
             /**
              * Get status type.
              * @return status type, non-<code>null</code>.
              */
-            StatusType getType() const;
+            inline StatusType getType() const { return m_statusType; }
 
             /**
              * Get error message describing an error. Required if error status.
              * @return error message.
              */
-            std::string getMessage() const;
+            inline std::string getMessage() const { return m_message; }
 
             /**
              * Get stack dump where error (exception) happened. Optional.
              * @return stack dump.
              */
-            std::string getStackDump() const;
+            inline std::string getStackDump() const { return m_stackDump; }
 
             /**
              * Convenient OK test. Same as <code>(getType() == StatusType.OK)</code>.
@@ -92,13 +92,47 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
              * @return OK status.
              * @see #isSuccess()
              */
-            bool isOK() const;
+            inline bool isOK() const {
+                return (m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_OK);
+            }
 
             /**
-             * Check if operation succeeded.
+             * Check if operation succeeded (OK or WARNING).
              * @return operation success status.
              */
-            bool isSuccess() const;
+            inline bool isSuccess() const {
+                return (m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_OK || m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_WARNING);
+            }
+
+#if __cplusplus>=201103L
+            FORCE_INLINE explicit operator bool() const {
+                return isSuccess();
+            }
+#else
+        private:
+            typedef bool (Status::*truth_type)() const;
+        public:
+            FORCE_INLINE operator truth_type() const {
+                return isSuccess() ? &Status::isSuccess : 0;
+            }
+#endif
+
+            /** override this Status if the other has higher StatusType
+             @code
+             Status ret;
+             ret |= call1();
+             if(ret)
+                ret |= call2();
+             return ret;
+             @endcode
+             */
+            void maximize(const Status& o);
+
+            //! short hand for "this->maximize(o)"
+            FORCE_INLINE Status& operator|=(const Status& o) {
+                maximize(o);
+                return *this;
+            }
 
             void serialize(ByteBuffer *buffer, SerializableControl *flusher) const;
             void deserialize(ByteBuffer *buffer, DeserializableControl *flusher);
@@ -113,8 +147,15 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
 
         };
 
-        epicsShareExtern std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status& status);
-        epicsShareExtern std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status::StatusType& statusType);
+        FORCE_INLINE std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status& status) {
+            status.dump(o);
+            return o;
+        }
+
+        FORCE_INLINE std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status::StatusType& statusType) {
+            o << Status::StatusTypeName[statusType];
+            return o;
+        }
 
 }}
 #endif  /* STATUS_H */
diff --git a/src/misc/status.cpp b/src/misc/status.cpp
index a2c465f..3097d0c 100644
--- a/src/misc/status.cpp
+++ b/src/misc/status.cpp
@@ -19,20 +19,11 @@ const char* Status::StatusTypeName[] = { "OK", "WARNING", "ERROR", "FATAL" };
 
 Status Status::Ok;
 
-//PVDATA_REFCOUNT_MONITOR_DEFINE(status);
-
-Status::Status() :
-    m_statusType(STATUSTYPE_OK)
-{
-}
-
 Status::Status(StatusType type, string const & message) :
     m_statusType(type), m_message(message)
 {
     if (type == STATUSTYPE_OK)
         throw std::invalid_argument("type == STATUSTYPE_OK");
-         
-    //PVDATA_REFCOUNT_MONITOR_CONSTRUCT(status);
 }
 
 Status::Status(StatusType type, string const & message, string const & stackDump) :
@@ -40,38 +31,15 @@ Status::Status(StatusType type, string const & message, string const & stackDump
 {
     if (type == STATUSTYPE_OK)
         throw std::invalid_argument("type == STATUSTYPE_OK");
-
-    //PVDATA_REFCOUNT_MONITOR_CONSTRUCT(status);
 }
     
-Status::~Status() {
-    //PVDATA_REFCOUNT_MONITOR_DESTRUCT(status);
-}
-    
-Status::StatusType Status::getType() const
+void Status::maximize(const Status& o)
 {
-    return m_statusType;    
-}
-    
-
-string Status::getMessage() const
-{
-    return m_message;
-}
-    
-string Status::getStackDump() const
-{
-    return m_stackDump;
-}
-    
-bool Status::isOK() const
-{
-    return (m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_OK);
-}
-    
-bool Status::isSuccess() const
-{
-    return (m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_OK || m_statusType == STATUSTYPE_WARNING);
+    if(m_statusType < o.m_statusType) {
+        m_statusType = o.m_statusType;
+        m_message = o.m_message;
+        m_stackDump = o.m_stackDump;
+    }
 }
 
 void Status::serialize(ByteBuffer *buffer, SerializableControl *flusher) const
@@ -120,18 +88,6 @@ void Status::dump(std::ostream& o) const
     if (!m_stackDump.empty())
         o << ", stackDump=" << std::endl << m_stackDump;
     o << ']';
-}    
-
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status& status)
-{
-    status.dump(o);
-    return o;
-}
-
-std::ostream& operator<<(std::ostream& o, const Status::StatusType& statusType)
-{
-    o << Status::StatusTypeName[statusType];
-    return o;
 }
 
 }}