diff --git a/devsupApp/src/devsup/ptable.py b/devsupApp/src/devsup/ptable.py
index 365cb91..db3adc6 100644
--- a/devsupApp/src/devsup/ptable.py
+++ b/devsupApp/src/devsup/ptable.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 _tables = {}
 
 from .db import IOScanListThread
-from . import INVALID_ALARM, UDF_ALARM
+from . import INVALID_ALARM, UDF_ALARM, NO_ALARM
 
 __all__ = [
     'Parameter',
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ def __init__(self, table, name, scan):
         self.name = name
         self.table, self.scan, self._value = table, scan, None
         self.alarm, self.actions = 0, []
+        self.stat = UDF_ALARM
+        self.amsg = None
         self._groups = set()
     def _get_value(self):
         return self._value
@@ -221,6 +223,10 @@ def __init__(self, inst, rec, info):
         self.vdata = None
         if len(self.vfld)>1:
             self.vdata = self.vfld.getarray()
+        if rec.PINI == "YES":
+            # record processing will have updated the field.
+            self.inst.stat = NO_ALARM
+            
     def detach(self, rec):
         pass
     def allowScan(self, rec):
@@ -232,19 +238,19 @@ def process(self, rec, reason=None):
         """Read a value from the table into the record
         """
         with self.inst.table.lock:
-            nval, alrm = self.inst.value, self.inst.alarm
-            self.inst.table.log.debug('%s -> %s (%s)', self.inst.name, rec.NAME, nval)
+            value, alarm, stat, amsg = self.inst.value, self.inst.alarm, self.inst.stat, self.inst.amsg
+            self.inst.table.log.debug('%s -> %s (%s)', self.inst.name, rec.NAME, value)
 
-        if nval is not None:
+        if value is not None:
             if self.vdata is None:
-                self.vfld.putval(nval)
+                self.vfld.putval(value)
             else:
-                if len(nval)>len(self.vdata):
-                    nval = nval[:len(self.vdata)]
-                self.vdata[:len(nval)] = nval
-                self.vfld.putarraylen(len(nval))
-            if alrm:
-                rec.setSevr(alrm)
+                if len(value)>len(self.vdata):
+                    value = value[:len(self.vdata)]
+                self.vdata[:len(value)] = value
+                self.vfld.putarraylen(len(value))
+            if alarm:
+                rec.setSevr(alarm, stat, amsg)
         else:
             # undefined value
             rec.setSevr(INVALID_ALARM, UDF_ALARM)
@@ -261,16 +267,17 @@ def process(self, rec, reason=None):
             # sync record to table
             self.inst.table.log.debug('%s <- %s (%s)', self.inst.name, rec.NAME, rec.VAL)
             if self.vdata is None:
-                nval = self.vfld.getval()
+                value = self.vfld.getval()
             else:
                 # A copy is made which can be used without locking the record
-                nval = self.vdata[:self.vfld.getarraylen()].copy()
+                value = self.vdata[:self.vfld.getarraylen()].copy()
 
             with self.inst.table.lock:
-                oval, self.inst.value = self.inst.value, nval
+                oval, self.inst.value = self.inst.value, value
                 
                 # Execute actions
                 self.inst._exec(oval)
+                rec.setSevr(self.inst.alarm, self.inst.stat, self.inst.amsg)
                 for G in self.inst._groups:
                     G._exec()
 
diff --git a/devsupApp/src/devsup/test/test_db.py b/devsupApp/src/devsup/test/test_db.py
index 07d0fbd..e31ecb0 100644
--- a/devsupApp/src/devsup/test/test_db.py
+++ b/devsupApp/src/devsup/test/test_db.py
@@ -164,6 +164,69 @@ def test_increment(self):
             self.assertEqual(rec.VAL, 1)
             self.assertEqual(rec.UDF, 0)
             
+class TestAlarmScan(IOCHelper):
+    db = """
+    record(longin, "rec:inalarm:amsg") {
+        field(PINI, "YES")
+    }
+    record(longin, "rec:inalarm:plain") {
+        field(PINI, "YES")
+    }
+    record(longout, "rec:outalarm:amsg") {
+        field(PINI, "YES")
+        field(VAL,  "0")
+    }
+    record(longout, "rec:outalarm:plain") {
+        field(PINI, "YES")
+        field(VAL,  "0")
+    }
+    """
+    def test_setin_severity_message(self):
+        rec = getRecord("rec:inalarm:amsg")
+        with rec:
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            if  _dbapi.epicsver[:4] >= (7, 0, 6, 0):
+                self.assertEqual(rec.AMSG, "")
+            self.assertEqual(rec.setSevr(_dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM, _dbapi.HIHI_ALARM, amsg="Meaningful input alarm message"), None)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.scan(sync=True), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.HIHI_ALARM)
+            if  _dbapi.epicsver[:4] >= (7, 0, 6, 0):
+                self.assertEqual(rec.AMSG, "Meaningful input alarm message")
+                
+    def test_setin_severity_without_message(self):
+        rec = getRecord("rec:inalarm:plain")
+        with rec:
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.setSevr(_dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM, _dbapi.COMM_ALARM), None)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.scan(sync=True), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.COMM_ALARM)
+
+    def test_setout_severity_message(self):
+        rec = getRecord("rec:outalarm:amsg")
+        with rec:
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            if  _dbapi.epicsver[:4] >= (7, 0, 6, 0):
+                self.assertEqual(rec.AMSG, "")
+            self.assertEqual(rec.setSevr(_dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM, _dbapi.HIHI_ALARM, amsg="Meaningful output alarm message"), None)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.scan(sync=True), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.HIHI_ALARM)
+            if  _dbapi.epicsver[:4] >= (7, 0, 6, 0):
+                self.assertEqual(rec.AMSG, "Meaningful output alarm message")
+                
+    def test_setout_severity_without_message(self):
+        rec = getRecord("rec:outalarm:plain")
+        with rec:
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.NO_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.setSevr(_dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM, _dbapi.COMM_ALARM), None)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.scan(sync=True), 0)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.SEVR, _dbapi.MAJOR_ALARM)
+            self.assertEqual(rec.STAT, _dbapi.COMM_ALARM)
+
 class TestLongStringField(IOCHelper):
     db = """
         record(lsi, "rec:lsi") {