An integrated circuit comprising: a supply terminal to connect to an external power supply; a ground terminal to connect to an external ground; an output terminal to connect to an external load; an output amplifier (42,122) coupled to the output terminal to generate an output signal on the output terminal during normal device operation; and circuitry to prevent current from flowing through the output terminal if at least one of the following occurs during device operation: a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground is broken; and a connection between the supply terminal and the external power supply is broken, characterized in that the external load is an external pull-down load, the output amplifier (42,122) includes an output stage (50,126) having a p-channel transistor (52,98,108) and an n-channel transistor (54,92,96,106); and the circuitry to prevent current from flowing through the output terminal includes: a first switch (60,84,134) coupled between the n-channel transistor (54,92,96,106) and the ground terminal; and a control circuit to detect a break in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground and to turn off the first switch (60,84,134) in response thereto, wherein the control circuit comprises a second switch (62,86) connected between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and an input terminal of the first switch (60,84,134), the second switch (62,86) to turn on if a break occurs in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground to provide a low impedance path between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and the input terminal of the first switch. a supply terminal to connect to an external power supply; a ground terminal to connect to an external ground; an output terminal to connect to an external load; an output amplifier (42,122) coupled to the output terminal to generate an output signal on the output terminal during normal device operation; and circuitry to prevent current from flowing through the output terminal if at least one of the following occurs during device operation: a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground is broken; and a connection between the supply terminal and the external power supply is broken, characterized in that the external load is an external pull-down load, the output amplifier (42,122) includes an output stage (50,126) having a p-channel transistor (52,98,108) and an n-channel transistor (54,92,96,106); and the circuitry to prevent current from flowing through the output terminal includes: a first switch (60,84,134) coupled between the n-channel transistor (54,92,96,106) and the ground terminal; and a control circuit to detect a break in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground and to turn off the first switch (60,84,134) in response thereto, wherein the control circuit comprises a second switch (62,86) connected between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and an input terminal of the first switch (60,84,134), the second switch (62,86) to turn on if a break occurs in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground to provide a low impedance path between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and the input terminal of the first switch. a first switch (60,84,134) coupled between the n-channel transistor (54,92,96,106) and the ground terminal; and a control circuit to detect a break in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground and to turn off the first switch (60,84,134) in response thereto, wherein the control circuit comprises a second switch (62,86) connected between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and an input terminal of the first switch (60,84,134), the second switch (62,86) to turn on if a break occurs in a connection between the ground terminal and the external ground to provide a low impedance path between the output terminal of the integrated circuit and the input terminal of the first switch.