diff --git a/src/pvxs/sharedArray.h b/src/pvxs/sharedArray.h
index ea91a2c..a44fe39 100644
--- a/src/pvxs/sharedArray.h
+++ b/src/pvxs/sharedArray.h
@@ -474,15 +474,11 @@ public:
     template<typename TO, typename std::enable_if<!std::is_void<TO>::value && (std::is_const<E>::value == std::is_const<TO>::value), int>::type =0>
     shared_array<TO>
     convertTo() const {
-        if(detail::CaptureBase<TO>::code==detail::CaptureBase<E>::code) {
-            return castTo<TO>();
-        } else {
-            shared_array<TO> ret(this->_count);
-            detail::convertArr(detail::CaptureBase<TO>::code, (void*)ret._data.get(),
-                               detail::CaptureBase<E>::code, this->_data.get(),
-                               this->_count);
-            return ret;
-        }
+        shared_array<TO> ret(this->_count);
+        detail::convertArr(detail::CaptureBase<TO>::code, (void*)ret._data.get(),
+                           detail::CaptureBase<E>::code, this->_data.get(),
+                           this->_count);
+        return ret;
     }
 
     //! Provide options when rendering with std::ostream.
diff --git a/test/testshared.cpp b/test/testshared.cpp
index b0e0fd3..e060f4c 100644
--- a/test/testshared.cpp
+++ b/test/testshared.cpp
@@ -196,11 +196,39 @@ void testFromVector()
     testEq(V.size(), 3u);
 }
 
+void testConvert()
+{
+    testDiag("%s", __func__);
+
+    static_assert (detail::CaptureCode<uint32_t>::code!=detail::CaptureCode<uint16_t>::code, "");
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}).convertTo<uint32_t>(),
+              shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}).convertTo<uint16_t>(),
+              shared_array<uint16_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffu}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}).convertTo<int32_t>(),
+              shared_array<int32_t>({1, 2, -1}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}).convertTo<int16_t>(),
+              shared_array<int16_t>({1, 2, -1}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<int32_t>({1, 2, -1}).convertTo<uint32_t>(),
+              shared_array<uint32_t>({1u, 2u, 0xffffffffu}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<int32_t>({1, 2, -1}).convertTo<double>(),
+              shared_array<double>({1.0, 2.0, -1.0}));
+
+    testArrEq(shared_array<int32_t>({1, 2, -1}).convertTo<std::string>(),
+              shared_array<std::string>({"1", "2", "-1"}));
+}
+
 } // namespace
 
 MAIN(testshared)
 {
-    testPlan(97);
+    testPlan(104);
     testSetup();
     testEmpty<void>();
     testEmpty<const void>();
@@ -215,5 +243,6 @@ MAIN(testshared)
     testComplex();
     testCast();
     testFromVector();
+    testConvert();
     return testDone();
 }