diff --git a/docs/reference/api.rst b/docs/reference/api.rst
index e40ef2cc..7efab9e0 100644
--- a/docs/reference/api.rst
+++ b/docs/reference/api.rst
@@ -273,8 +273,12 @@ All functions return a wrapped `ProcessDeviceSupportIn` or
 
         status = mbbIn('STATUS',
             'OK',
-            ('FAILING', "MINOR"),
-            ('FAILED', "MAJOR"))
+            ('FAILING', 'MINOR'),
+            ('FAILED', 'MAJOR'),
+            ('NOT CONNECTED', 'INVALID'))
+
+    Severities can also be assigned using the `softioc.alarm` numerical
+    severities if preferred.
 
     Numerical values are assigned to options sequentially from 0 to 15 and
     cannot be overridden.
diff --git a/softioc/builder.py b/softioc/builder.py
index 3e639d21..8c6272e1 100644
--- a/softioc/builder.py
+++ b/softioc/builder.py
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@ def longOut(name, DRVL=None, DRVH=None, EGU=None, **fields):
     'ZR', 'ON', 'TW', 'TH', 'FR', 'FV', 'SX', 'SV',     # 0-7
     'EI', 'NI', 'TE', 'EL', 'TV', 'TT', 'FT', 'FF']     # 8-15
 
+# All the severity strings supported by <prefix>SV
+_severityStrings = ["NO_ALARM", "MINOR", "MAJOR", "INVALID"]
+
 # Converts a list of (option [,severity]) values or tuples into field settings
 # suitable for mbbi and mbbo records.
 def _process_mbb_values(options, fields):
@@ -69,6 +72,9 @@ def process_value(prefix, value, option, severity=None):
         fields[prefix + 'ST'] = option
         fields[prefix + 'VL'] = value
         if severity:
+            if isinstance(severity, int):
+                # Map alarm.MINOR_ALARM -> "MINOR"
+                severity = _severityStrings[severity]
             fields[prefix + 'SV'] = severity
     # zip() silently ignores extra values in options, so explicitly check length
     assert len(options) <= 16, "May not specify more than 16 enum values"
diff --git a/tests/expected_records.db b/tests/expected_records.db
index 290c5c82..61d383db 100644
--- a/tests/expected_records.db
+++ b/tests/expected_records.db
@@ -1,8 +1,3 @@
-# This file was automatically generated on Fri 13 Aug 2021 16:49:03 BST.
-# 
-# *** Please do not edit this file: edit the source file instead. ***
-# 
-
 record(ai, "TS-DI-TEST-01:AI")
 {
     field(DTYP, "Python")
@@ -73,6 +68,7 @@ record(mbbi, "TS-DI-TEST-01:MBBI")
     field(TWSV, "MINOR")
     field(TWVL, "2")
     field(ZRST, "One")
+    field(ZRSV, "MAJOR")
     field(ZRVL, "0")
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/sim_records.py b/tests/sim_records.py
index 7bcd9861..3009e356 100644
--- a/tests/sim_records.py
+++ b/tests/sim_records.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 from epicsdbbuilder import GetRecordNames, WriteRecords
 
-from softioc import softioc
+from softioc import softioc, alarm
 from softioc.builder import *
 
 import numpy
@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@ def on_update_name(value, name):
 t_boolin = boolIn('BOOLIN', 'True', 'False', initial_value=False)
 t_longin = longIn('LONGIN', initial_value=33)
 t_stringin = stringIn('STRINGIN', initial_value="Testing string")
-t_mbbi = mbbIn('MBBI', 'One', 'Two', ('Three', "MINOR"), initial_value=2)
+t_mbbi = mbbIn(
+    'MBBI', ('One', alarm.MAJOR_ALARM), 'Two', ('Three', "MINOR"),
+    initial_value=2)
 
 t_ao = aOut('AO', initial_value=12.45, on_update_name=on_update_name)
 t_boolout = boolOut(
diff --git a/tests/test_records.py b/tests/test_records.py
index 2d50973b..756a44ec 100644
--- a/tests/test_records.py
+++ b/tests/test_records.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ def test_records(tmp_path):
     path = str(tmp_path / "records.db")
     builder.WriteRecords(path)
     expected = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), "expected_records.db")
-    assert open(path).readlines()[4:] == open(expected).readlines()[4:]
+    assert open(path).readlines()[5:] == open(expected).readlines()
 
 def test_enum_length_restriction():
     with pytest.raises(AssertionError):