diff --git a/executables/nr-gnb.c b/executables/nr-gnb.c
index 242220fe38..d21eaf775a 100644
--- a/executables/nr-gnb.c
+++ b/executables/nr-gnb.c
@@ -327,7 +327,13 @@ void *nrL1_stats_thread(void *param) {
   return(NULL);
 }
 
-void init_gNB_Tpool(int inst) {
+void init_gNB_Tpool(int inst)
+{
+  AssertFatal(NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_PNF || NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MONOLITHIC,
+              "illegal NFAPI_MODE %d (%s): it cannot have an L1\n",
+              NFAPI_MODE,
+              nfapi_get_strmode());
+
   PHY_VARS_gNB *gNB;
   gNB = RC.gNB[inst];
   gNB_L1_proc_t *proc = &gNB->proc;
@@ -360,8 +366,7 @@ void init_gNB_Tpool(int inst) {
   // this will be removed when the msgDataTx is not necessary anymore
   gNB->msgDataTx = msgDataTx;
 
-  if ((!get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1) && (!IS_SOFTMODEM_NOSTATS) && (NFAPI_MODE != NFAPI_MODE_VNF)
-      && (NFAPI_MODE != NFAPI_MODE_AERIAL))
+  if (!IS_SOFTMODEM_NOSTATS)
     threadCreate(&proc->L1_stats_thread, nrL1_stats_thread, (void *)gNB, "L1_stats", -1, OAI_PRIORITY_RT_LOW);
 }
 
@@ -380,8 +385,7 @@ void term_gNB_Tpool(int inst) {
   abortNotifiedFIFO(&gNB->L1_rx_out);
 
   gNB_L1_proc_t *proc = &gNB->proc;
-  if (!get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1)
-    pthread_join(proc->L1_stats_thread, NULL);
+  pthread_join(proc->L1_stats_thread, NULL);
 }
 
 /// eNB kept in function name for nffapi calls, TO FIX
diff --git a/openair2/NR_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c b/openair2/NR_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
index ca8d32be75..e3d05b498e 100644
--- a/openair2/NR_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
+++ b/openair2/NR_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ void NR_UL_indication(NR_UL_IND_t *UL_info) {
   nfapi_nr_uci_indication_t *uci_ind = NULL;
   nfapi_nr_rx_data_indication_t *rx_ind = NULL;
   nfapi_nr_crc_indication_t *crc_ind = NULL;
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1 || NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_AERIAL)
+  if (NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_VNF || NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_AERIAL)
   {
     if (gnb_rach_ind_queue.num_items > 0) {
       LOG_D(NR_MAC, "gnb_rach_ind_queue size = %zu\n", gnb_rach_ind_queue.num_items);
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ void NR_UL_indication(NR_UL_IND_t *UL_info) {
   handle_nr_ulsch(UL_info);
   handle_nr_srs(UL_info);
 
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1 || NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_AERIAL) {
+  if (NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_VNF || NFAPI_MODE == NFAPI_MODE_AERIAL) {
     free_unqueued_nfapi_indications(rach_ind, uci_ind, rx_ind, crc_ind);
   }
 }