diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
index 027c849b35..1038cca087 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/config.c
@@ -611,16 +611,18 @@ int rrc_mac_config_req_gNB(module_id_t Mod_idP,
       LOG_I(NR_MAC,"Modified UE_id %d/%x with CellGroup\n",UE_id,rnti);
       process_CellGroup(CellGroup,&UE_info->UE_sched_ctrl[UE_id]);
       const NR_ServingCellConfig_t *servingCellConfig = CellGroup ? CellGroup->spCellConfig->spCellConfigDedicated : NULL;
-      const NR_PDSCH_ServingCellConfig_t *pdsch = servingCellConfig ? servingCellConfig->pdsch_ServingCellConfig->choice.setup : NULL;
-      const int nrofHARQ = pdsch ? (pdsch->nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH ?
-                           get_nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH(*pdsch->nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH) : 8) : 8;
-      // add all available DL HARQ processes for this UE
       NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl = &UE_info->UE_sched_ctrl[UE_id];
-      create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->available_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
-      for (int harq = 0; harq < nrofHARQ; harq++)
-        add_tail_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->available_dl_harq, harq);
-      create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->feedback_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
-      create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->retrans_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
+      if (sched_ctrl->available_dl_harq.len == 0) {
+        const NR_PDSCH_ServingCellConfig_t *pdsch = servingCellConfig ? servingCellConfig->pdsch_ServingCellConfig->choice.setup : NULL;
+        const int nrofHARQ = pdsch ? (pdsch->nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH ?
+                             get_nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH(*pdsch->nrofHARQ_ProcessesForPDSCH) : 8) : 8;
+        // add all available DL HARQ processes for this UE
+        create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->available_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
+        for (int harq = 0; harq < nrofHARQ; harq++)
+          add_tail_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->available_dl_harq, harq);
+        create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->feedback_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
+        create_nr_list(&sched_ctrl->retrans_dl_harq, nrofHARQ);
+      }
       // update coreset/searchspace
       void *bwpd = NULL;
       target_ss = NR_SearchSpace__searchSpaceType_PR_common;