diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/pbchsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/pbchsim.c
index 0f5752c227..46e51029b3 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/pbchsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/pbchsim.c
@@ -438,12 +438,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   printf("Initializing gNodeB for mu %d, N_RB_DL %d\n",mu,N_RB_DL);
 
   RC.gNB = (PHY_VARS_gNB**) malloc(sizeof(PHY_VARS_gNB *));
-  RC.gNB[0] = malloc(sizeof(PHY_VARS_gNB));
+  RC.gNB[0] = malloc16_clear(sizeof(*(RC.gNB[0])));
   gNB = RC.gNB[0];
   gNB->ofdm_offset_divisor = UINT_MAX;
   frame_parms = &gNB->frame_parms; //to be initialized I suppose (maybe not necessary for PBCH)
   frame_parms->nb_antennas_tx = n_tx;
   frame_parms->nb_antennas_rx = n_rx;
+  frame_parms->nb_antenna_ports_gNB = n_tx;
   frame_parms->N_RB_DL = N_RB_DL;
   frame_parms->Nid_cell = Nid_cell;
   frame_parms->nushift = Nid_cell%4;
@@ -533,19 +534,13 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   for (i=0; i<2; i++) {
 
-    s_re[i] = malloc(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    bzero(s_re[i],frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    s_im[i] = malloc(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    bzero(s_im[i],frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-
-    r_re[i] = malloc(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    bzero(r_re[i],frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    r_im[i] = malloc(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
-    bzero(r_im[i],frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
+    s_re[i] = malloc16_clear(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
+    s_im[i] = malloc16_clear(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
 
+    r_re[i] = malloc16_clear(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
+    r_im[i] = malloc16_clear(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(double));
     printf("Allocating %d samples for txdata\n",frame_length_complex_samples);
-    txdata[i] = malloc(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(int));
-    bzero(r_re[i],frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(int));
+    txdata[i] = malloc16_clear(frame_length_complex_samples*sizeof(int));
   }
 
   if (pbch_file_fd!=NULL) {
@@ -554,8 +549,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 
   //configure UE
-  UE = malloc(sizeof(PHY_VARS_NR_UE));
-  memcpy(&UE->frame_parms,frame_parms,sizeof(NR_DL_FRAME_PARMS));
+  UE = malloc16_clear(sizeof(*UE));
+  memcpy(&UE->frame_parms,frame_parms,sizeof(UE->frame_parms));
   //phy_init_nr_top(UE); //called from init_nr_ue_signal
   if (run_initial_sync==1)  UE->is_synchronized = 0;
   else                      UE->is_synchronized = 1;