diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 4c2baa4de3..8504704280 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1277,6 +1277,7 @@ set(L2_NR_SRC
   ${NR_RRC_DIR}/rrc_gNB_UE_context.c
   ${NR_RRC_DIR}/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
   ${NR_RRC_DIR}/rrc_gNB_radio_bearers.c
+  ${NR_RRC_DIR}/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
   )
 
 set(L2_SRC_UE
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
index 510e058495..13f8efce50 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
@@ -132,6 +132,8 @@ rrc_gNB_generate_dedicatedRRCReconfiguration_release(
 
 void rrc_gNB_generate_dedicatedRRCReconfiguration(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP, rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_pP);
 
+int rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(e1ap_setup_req_t *req);
+
 void bearer_context_setup_direct(e1ap_bearer_setup_req_t *req,
                                  instance_t instance);
 
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index bd8548dc04..8360152375 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -2315,29 +2315,6 @@ static int get_dl_mimo_layers(const f1ap_served_cell_info_t *cell_info, const NR
   return(1);
 }
 
-int rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(e1ap_setup_req_t *req, instance_t instance) {
-
-  AssertFatal(req->supported_plmns <= PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE, "Supported PLMNs is more than PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE\n");
-  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[0]; //TODO: remove hardcoding of RC index here
-  MessageDef *msg_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_GNB, instance, E1AP_SETUP_RESP);
-
-  e1ap_setup_resp_t *resp = &E1AP_SETUP_RESP(msg_p);
-  resp->transac_id = req->transac_id;
-
-  for (int i=0; i < req->supported_plmns; i++) {
-    if (rrc->configuration.mcc[i] != req->plmns[i].mcc ||
-        rrc->configuration.mnc[i] != req->plmns[i].mnc) {
-      LOG_E(NR_RRC, "PLMNs received from CUUP (mcc:%d, mnc:%d) did not match with PLMNs in RRC (mcc:%d, mnc:%d)\n",
-            req->plmns[i].mcc, req->plmns[i].mnc, rrc->configuration.mcc[i], rrc->configuration.mnc[i]);
-      return -1;
-    }
-  }
-
-  itti_send_msg_to_task(TASK_CUCP_E1, instance, msg_p);
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
 void prepare_and_send_ue_context_modification_f1(rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p, e1ap_bearer_setup_resp_t *e1ap_resp)
 {
   /* Generate a UE context modification request message towards the DU to
@@ -2699,7 +2676,7 @@ void *rrc_gnb_task(void *args_p) {
         break;
 
       case E1AP_SETUP_REQ:
-        rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(&E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p), instance);
+        rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(&E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p));
         break;
 
       case E1AP_BEARER_CONTEXT_SETUP_RESP:
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..aaf28c9025
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+/*
+ * Licensed to the OpenAirInterface (OAI) Software Alliance under one or more
+ * contributor license agreements.  See the NOTICE file distributed with
+ * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
+ * The OpenAirInterface Software Alliance licenses this file to You under
+ * the OAI Public License, Version 1.1  (the "License"); you may not use this file
+ * except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *      http://www.openairinterface.org/?page_id=698
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * For more information about the OpenAirInterface (OAI) Software Alliance:
+ *      contact@openairinterface.org
+ */
+
+#include "common/ran_context.h"
+#include "nr_rrc_defs.h"
+
+int rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(e1ap_setup_req_t *req)
+{
+  AssertFatal(req->supported_plmns <= PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE, "Supported PLMNs is more than PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE\n");
+  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[0];
+
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < req->supported_plmns; i++) {
+    PLMN_ID_t *id = &req->plmns[i];
+    if (rrc->configuration.mcc[i] != id->mcc || rrc->configuration.mnc[i] != id->mnc) {
+      LOG_E(NR_RRC,
+            "PLMNs received from CUUP (mcc:%d, mnc:%d) did not match with PLMNs in RRC (mcc:%d, mnc:%d)\n",
+            id->mcc,
+            id->mnc,
+            rrc->configuration.mcc[i],
+            rrc->configuration.mnc[i]);
+      return -1;
+    }
+  }
+
+
+  MessageDef *msg_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_GNB, 0, E1AP_SETUP_RESP);
+  e1ap_setup_resp_t *resp = &E1AP_SETUP_RESP(msg_p);
+  resp->transac_id = req->transac_id;
+  itti_send_msg_to_task(TASK_CUCP_E1, 0, msg_p);
+
+  return 0;
+}