diff --git a/pdbApp/softMain.cpp b/pdbApp/softMain.cpp
index 48d32bc..704f45f 100644
--- a/pdbApp/softMain.cpp
+++ b/pdbApp/softMain.cpp
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "iocInit.h"
 #include "iocsh.h"
 #include "osiFileName.h"
+#include "dbStaticPvt.h"
 
 #include <pv/qsrv.h>
 
@@ -66,6 +67,8 @@ void usage(const char *arg0, const std::string& base_dbd) {
                "\n"
                "    -D <dbd>  If used, must come first. Specify the path to the softIocPVA.dbdfile."
                "        The compile-time install location is saved in the binary as a default.\n"
+               "        If the compiled-in path cannot be found, the application will look relative\n"
+               "        to EPICS_BASE."
                "\n"
                "    -h  Print this mesage and exit.\n"
                "\n"
@@ -110,18 +113,29 @@ void errIf(int ret, const std::string& msg)
 
 bool lazy_dbd_loaded;
 
-void lazy_dbd(const std::string& dbd_file) {
+void lazy_dbd(const std::string& dbd_file, const std::string& prefix) {
     if(lazy_dbd_loaded) return;
     lazy_dbd_loaded = true;
-
-    if (verbose)
-        std::cout<<"dbLoadDatabase(\""<<dbd_file<<"\")\n";
-    errIf(dbLoadDatabase(dbd_file.c_str(), NULL, NULL),
-          std::string("Failed to load DBD file: ")+dbd_file);
-
+    std::string loaded_file;
+    FILE *fp = NULL;
+    std::string dbd_relative_to_epics_base(DBD_FILE);
+    loaded_file = dbd_file;
+    dbOpenFile(&pdbbase,dbd_file.c_str(),&fp);
+    if(verbose)
+        std::cout<<"dbOpenFile(&pdbbase"<<dbd_file<<",&fp)"<<std::endl;
+    if((!fp) && dbd_file==prefix+DBD_FILE_REL){
+        loaded_file=dbd_relative_to_epics_base;
+        if(verbose)
+            std::cout<<"dbOpenFile(&pdbbase,"<<dbd_relative_to_epics_base<<",&fp)"<<std::endl;
+        dbOpenFile(&pdbbase,dbd_relative_to_epics_base.c_str(),&fp);
+        errIf(!fp, "failed to find softIocPVA.dbd");
+    }
+    if(fp && dbReadDatabaseFP(&pdbbase, fp, NULL, NULL))
+        std::cerr<<"Failed to read "<<loaded_file<<", but it was found and loaded."<<std::endl;
     if (verbose)
         std::cout<<"softIocPVA_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase)\n";
-    softIocPVA_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase);
+    errIf(softIocPVA_registerRecordDeviceDriver(pdbbase),
+        "Failed to initialize database");
     registryFunctionAdd("exit", (REGISTRYFUNCTION) exitSubroutine);
 }
 
@@ -137,26 +151,22 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
         bool interactive = true;
         bool loadedDb = false;
         bool ranScript = false;
-
-#ifdef USE_EXECDIR
         // attempt to compute relative paths
-        {
-            std::string prefix;
-            char *cprefix = epicsGetExecDir();
-            if(cprefix) {
-                try {
-                    prefix = cprefix;
-                    free(cprefix);
-                } catch(...) {
-                    free(cprefix);
-                    throw;
-                }
+        
+        std::string prefix;
+        char *cprefix = epicsGetExecDir();
+        if(cprefix) {
+            try {
+                prefix = cprefix;
+                free(cprefix);
+            } catch(...) {
+                free(cprefix);
+                throw;
             }
-
-            dbd_file = prefix + DBD_FILE_REL;
-            exit_file = prefix + EXIT_FILE_REL;
         }
-#endif
+
+        dbd_file = prefix + DBD_FILE_REL;
+        exit_file = prefix + EXIT_FILE_REL;
 
         int opt;
 
@@ -172,7 +182,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 epicsExit(2);
                 return 2;
             case 'a':
-                lazy_dbd(dbd_file);
+                lazy_dbd(dbd_file, prefix);
                 if (!macros.empty()) {
                     if (verbose)
                         std::cout<<"asSetSubstitutions(\""<<macros<<"\")\n";
@@ -191,7 +201,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 dbd_file = optarg;
                 break;
             case 'd':
-                lazy_dbd(dbd_file);
+                lazy_dbd(dbd_file,prefix);
                 if (verbose) {
                     std::cout<<"dbLoadRecords(\""<<optarg<<"\"";
                     if(!macros.empty())
@@ -214,7 +224,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
                 verbose = true;
                 break;
             case 'x':
-                lazy_dbd(dbd_file);
+                lazy_dbd(dbd_file,prefix);
                 xmacro  = "IOC=";
                 xmacro += optarg;
                 errIf(dbLoadRecords(exit_file.c_str(), xmacro.c_str()),
@@ -227,7 +237,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
             }
         }
 
-        lazy_dbd(dbd_file);
+        lazy_dbd(dbd_file,prefix);
 
         if(optind<argc)  {
             // run script
@@ -261,8 +271,10 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
         } else {
             if (loadedDb || ranScript) {
-                epicsThreadExitMain();
-
+                // non-interactive IOC. spin forever
+                while(true) {
+                    epicsThreadSleep(1000.0);
+                }
             } else {
                 usage(argv[0], dbd_file);
                 std::cerr<<"Nothing to do!\n";