diff --git a/tests/nr-cuup/nr-cuup-load-test.c b/tests/nr-cuup/nr-cuup-load-test.c
index 8cc5256744..0774b26b1b 100644
--- a/tests/nr-cuup/nr-cuup-load-test.c
+++ b/tests/nr-cuup/nr-cuup-load-test.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include "openair3/SCTP/sctp_eNB_task.h"
 #include "openair2/E1AP/e1ap.h"
 #include "openair3/ocp-gtpu/gtp_itf.h"
+#include "openair2/E1AP/lib/e1ap_interface_management.h"
 
 configmodule_interface_t *uniqCfg;
 
@@ -90,6 +91,7 @@ static void setup_cuup(sctp_assoc_t *assoc_id, e1ap_nssai_t *nssai)
   DevAssert(req->plmn[0].slice != NULL);
   *nssai = *req->plmn[0].slice;
   DevAssert(assoc_id != 0);
+  free_e1ap_cuup_setup_request(req);
   itti_free(TASK_GNB_APP, itti_req);
 
   // acknowledge the E1 setup request with a response