diff --git a/idl/mdsconnect.pro b/idl/mdsconnect.pro
index dd4bcbe236..1dc25be240 100644
--- a/idl/mdsconnect.pro
+++ b/idl/mdsconnect.pro
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ pro Mds$SendArg,sock,n,idx,arg
   return
 end
 
+; This procedure is likely obsolete
 pro mds$connect,host,status=status,quiet=quiet,port=port
   on_error,2
   mds$disconnect,/quiet
@@ -141,16 +142,15 @@ pro mds$disconnect,status=status,quiet=quiet
   return
 end
 
-
+; This procedure is likely obsolete
 pro connect,host,_EXTRA=e
 	mds$connect,host,_EXTRA=e
 return
 end
 
-;*/
-
 
-pro mdsconnect,host,status=status,quiet=quiet,port=port,socket=socket
+; This procedure is used to connect to MDSplus archive servers and to database servers
+pro mdsconnect,host,status=status,quiet=quiet,port=port,socket=socket,database=database
   forward_function mds_keyword_set
   on_error,2
   if (not mds_keyword_set(socket=socket)) then $
@@ -163,9 +163,16 @@ pro mdsconnect,host,status=status,quiet=quiet,port=port,socket=socket
   sockmin=sockmin()
   if (sock ge sockmin) then begin
     status = 1
-    if not mds_keyword_set(socket=socket) then $
-      !MDS_SOCKET = sock $
-    else $
+    ; The !MDS_SOCKET only tracks connections to MDSplus archive servers.   See MDSDbConnect for database connections.
+    if not keyword_set(database) then begin
+      defsysv, '!MDS_SOCKET', exists=conn
+      if not conn then begin
+        defsysv, '!MDS_SOCKET', fix(sock)
+      endif else begin
+        !MDS_SOCKET = fix(sock)
+      endelse
+    endif
+    if mds_keyword_set(socket=socket) then $
       socket = sock
   endif else begin
     if not keyword_set(quiet) then message,'Error connecting to '+host,/IOERROR
diff --git a/idl/mdssql.pro b/idl/mdssql.pro
index be7b76c488..ec21d550e5 100644
--- a/idl/mdssql.pro
+++ b/idl/mdssql.pro
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pro MDSDbConnect, host
    endif
    if (host ne "" and host ne "local") then begin
        socket=-1
-       MdsConnect, host, socket=socket
+       MdsConnect, host, socket=socket, /database
        !MDSDB_SOCKET = socket
        !MDSDB_HOST=host
    endif
diff --git a/idl/set_database.pro b/idl/set_database.pro
index ee4a16c41f..c04d2ca5a4 100644
--- a/idl/set_database.pro
+++ b/idl/set_database.pro
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ pro MDSDbConnect, host
    endif
    if (host ne "" and host ne "local") then begin
        socket=-1
-       MdsConnect, host, socket=socket
+       MdsConnect, host, socket=socket, /database
        !MDSDB_SOCKET = socket
        !MDSDB_HOST=host
    endif