diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
index 6dd3a073b7..01ec2a1dd5 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
@@ -114,7 +114,11 @@ void process_CellGroup(NR_CellGroupConfig_t *CellGroup, NR_UE_info_t *UE)
      //process_phr_Config(sched_ctrl,mac_CellGroupConfig->phr_Config);
    }
 
-   nr_mac_prepare_ra_ue(RC.nrmac[0], UE->rnti, CellGroup);
+   if (CellGroup->spCellConfig && CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync
+       && CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated
+       && CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated->choice.uplink->cfra) {
+    nr_mac_prepare_ra_ue(RC.nrmac[0], UE->rnti, CellGroup);
+   }
    process_rlcBearerConfig(CellGroup->rlc_BearerToAddModList, CellGroup->rlc_BearerToReleaseList, &UE->UE_sched_ctrl);
 }
 
@@ -597,35 +601,21 @@ bool nr_mac_prepare_ra_ue(gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, uint32_t rnti, NR_CellGroupConfig
     return false;
   }
   NR_RA_t *ra = &cc->ra[ra_index];
-  if (CellGroup->spCellConfig && CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync
-      && CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated != NULL) {
-    if (CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated->choice.uplink->cfra != NULL) {
-      ra->cfra = true;
-      ra->rnti = rnti;
-      ra->CellGroup = CellGroup;
-      struct NR_CFRA *cfra = CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated->choice.uplink->cfra;
-      uint8_t num_preamble = cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.count;
-      ra->preambles.num_preambles = num_preamble;
-      ra->preambles.preamble_list = calloc(ra->preambles.num_preambles, sizeof(*ra->preambles.preamble_list));
-      for (int i = 0; i < cc->num_active_ssb; i++) {
-        for (int j = 0; j < num_preamble; j++) {
-          if (cc->ssb_index[i] == cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.array[j]->ssb) {
-            // one dedicated preamble for each beam
-            ra->preambles.preamble_list[i] = cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.array[j]->ra_PreambleIndex;
-            break;
-          }
-        }
+  ra->cfra = true;
+  ra->rnti = rnti;
+  ra->CellGroup = CellGroup;
+  struct NR_CFRA *cfra = CellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated->choice.uplink->cfra;
+  uint8_t num_preamble = cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.count;
+  ra->preambles.num_preambles = num_preamble;
+  ra->preambles.preamble_list = calloc(ra->preambles.num_preambles, sizeof(*ra->preambles.preamble_list));
+  for (int i = 0; i < cc->num_active_ssb; i++) {
+    for (int j = 0; j < num_preamble; j++) {
+      if (cc->ssb_index[i] == cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.array[j]->ssb) {
+        // one dedicated preamble for each beam
+        ra->preambles.preamble_list[i] = cfra->resources.choice.ssb->ssb_ResourceList.list.array[j]->ra_PreambleIndex;
+        break;
       }
     }
-  } else {
-    ra->cfra = false;
-    ra->rnti = 0;
-    if (ra->preambles.preamble_list == NULL) {
-      ra->preambles.num_preambles = MAX_NUM_NR_PRACH_PREAMBLES;
-      ra->preambles.preamble_list = (uint8_t *)malloc(MAX_NUM_NR_PRACH_PREAMBLES * sizeof(uint8_t));
-      for (int i = 0; i < MAX_NUM_NR_PRACH_PREAMBLES; i++)
-        ra->preambles.preamble_list[i] = i;
-    }
   }
   LOG_I(NR_MAC, "Added new %s process for UE RNTI %04x with initial CellGroup\n", ra->cfra ? "CFRA" : "CBRA", rnti);
   return true;
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_nsa.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_nsa.c
index 359d25ae4e..79adaa3737 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_nsa.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_nsa.c
@@ -359,6 +359,11 @@ void rrc_add_nsa_user(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p, x2a
     // phytest mode: we don't set up RA, etc
     ret = nr_mac_add_test_ue(RC.nrmac[rrc->module_id], du_ue_id, ue_context_p->ue_context.secondaryCellGroup);
   } else {
+    NR_CellGroupConfig_t *secondaryCellGroup = ue_context_p->ue_context.secondaryCellGroup;
+    DevAssert(secondaryCellGroup->spCellConfig
+              && secondaryCellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync
+              && secondaryCellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated
+              && secondaryCellGroup->spCellConfig->reconfigurationWithSync->rach_ConfigDedicated->choice.uplink->cfra);
     NR_SCHED_LOCK(&RC.nrmac[rrc->module_id]->sched_lock);
     ret = nr_mac_prepare_ra_ue(RC.nrmac[rrc->module_id], du_ue_id, ue_context_p->ue_context.secondaryCellGroup);
     NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&RC.nrmac[rrc->module_id]->sched_lock);