diff --git a/ophyd/_pyepics_shim.py b/ophyd/_pyepics_shim.py
index bbcbeb255..ba817a781 100644
--- a/ophyd/_pyepics_shim.py
+++ b/ophyd/_pyepics_shim.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import atexit
 import ctypes
-import epics
+from distutils.version import LooseVersion
 import queue
 import threading
 import warnings
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 
 def get_pv(*args, **kwargs):
+    if not LooseVersion(epics.__version__) >= LooseVersion('3.4.0'):
+        kwargs.setdefault('context', epics.ca.current_context())
     return _get_pv(*args, **kwargs)