diff --git a/src/misc/bitSet.cpp b/src/misc/bitSet.cpp
index 596ad11..930b470 100644
--- a/src/misc/bitSet.cpp
+++ b/src/misc/bitSet.cpp
@@ -196,6 +196,20 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
         return words.size() * BITS_PER_WORD;
     }
 
+    bool BitSet::logical_and(const BitSet& set) const
+    {
+        size_t nwords = std::min(words.size(), set.words.size());
+        for(size_t i=0; i<nwords; i++) {
+            if(words[i] & set.words[i])
+                return true;
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+    bool BitSet::logical_or(const BitSet& set) const
+    {
+        return !words.empty() || !set.words.empty();
+    }
+
     BitSet& BitSet::operator&=(const BitSet& set) {
         // Check for self-assignment!
         if (this == &set) return *this;
diff --git a/src/misc/pv/bitSet.h b/src/misc/pv/bitSet.h
index b81c262..ac78c16 100644
--- a/src/misc/pv/bitSet.h
+++ b/src/misc/pv/bitSet.h
@@ -167,8 +167,13 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
          */
         uint32 size() const;
 
+        //! Returns true if any bit is set in both *this and other
+        bool logical_and(const BitSet& other) const;
+        //! Returns true if any bit is set in both *this or other
+        bool logical_or(const BitSet& other) const;
+
         /**
-         * Performs a logical <b>AND</b> of this target bit set with the
+         * Performs a bitwise <b>AND</b> of this target bit set with the
          * argument bit set. This bit set is modified so that each bit in it
          * has the value @c true if and only if it both initially
          * had the value @c true and the corresponding bit in the
@@ -179,7 +184,7 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
         BitSet& operator&=(const BitSet& set);
 
         /**
-         * Performs a logical <b>OR</b> of this bit set with the bit set
+         * Performs a bitwise <b>OR</b> of this bit set with the bit set
          * argument. This bit set is modified so that a bit in it has the
          * value @c true if and only if it either already had the
          * value @c true or the corresponding bit in the bit set
@@ -190,7 +195,7 @@ namespace epics { namespace pvData {
         BitSet& operator|=(const BitSet& set);
 
         /**
-         * Performs a logical <b>XOR</b> of this bit set with the bit set
+         * Performs a bitwise <b>XOR</b> of this bit set with the bit set
          * argument. This bit set is modified so that a bit in it has the
          * value @c true if and only if one of the following
          * statements holds:
diff --git a/testApp/misc/testBitSet.cpp b/testApp/misc/testBitSet.cpp
index a44591d..5370699 100644
--- a/testApp/misc/testBitSet.cpp
+++ b/testApp/misc/testBitSet.cpp
@@ -164,6 +164,29 @@ static void testOperators()
     testOk(toString(b3) == "{1}", "%s == {1}", toString(b3).c_str());
 }
 
+static void testLogical()
+{
+    BitSet A, B;
+
+    testOk1(!A.logical_and(B));
+    testOk1(!A.logical_or(B));
+
+    A.set(41);
+
+    testOk1(!A.logical_and(B));
+    testOk1(A.logical_or(B));
+
+    A.set(42);
+
+    testOk1(!A.logical_and(B));
+    testOk1(A.logical_or(B));
+
+    B.set(41);
+
+    testOk1(A.logical_and(B));
+    testOk1(A.logical_or(B));
+}
+
 static void tofrostring(const BitSet& in, const char *expect, size_t elen, int byteOrder)
 {
     {
@@ -271,9 +294,10 @@ static void testSerialize()
 
 MAIN(testBitSet)
 {
-    testPlan(79);
+    testPlan(87);
     testGetSetClearFlip();
     testOperators();
+    testLogical();
     testSerialize();
     return testDone();
 }