diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.c
index 0df2665c04..844ee6ffdc 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.c
@@ -409,3 +409,22 @@ nr_rrc_cell_container_t *rrc_get_pcell_for_ue(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, const gNB_RRC_U
   return get_cell_by_cell_id(&rrc->cells, pcell_entry->nci);
 }
 
+/** @brief Update UE's PCell in serving_cells array
+ * @param[in] UE UE context
+ * @param[in] cell Cell container to set as PCell
+ * @return Pointer to added serving cell entry, or NULL on failure
+ * @note If UE already has a PCell, removes all serving cells from the old PCell's DU first */
+ue_serving_cell_t *rrc_update_ue_pcell(gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, const nr_rrc_cell_container_t *cell)
+{
+  DevAssert(UE != NULL);
+  DevAssert(cell != NULL);
+
+  // If UE already has a PCell, remove all serving cells from that DU first
+  const ue_serving_cell_t *existing_pcell = ue_get_pcell_entry(UE);
+  if (existing_pcell != NULL) {
+    rrc_remove_ue_scells_from_du(UE, existing_pcell->assoc_id);
+  }
+
+  // Add the new PCell
+  return rrc_add_ue_serving_cell(UE, cell, RRC_PCELL_INDEX);
+}
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.h b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.h
index 99071cceb2..d24fd095dd 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_cell_management.h
@@ -69,5 +69,6 @@ void rrc_remove_ue_scells_from_du(gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue, sctp_assoc_t assoc_id);
 ue_serving_cell_t *rrc_get_ue_serving_cell_by_id(const gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue, uint8_t serving_cell_id);
 const ue_serving_cell_t *ue_get_pcell_entry(const gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue);
 nr_rrc_cell_container_t *rrc_get_pcell_for_ue(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, const gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue);
+ue_serving_cell_t *rrc_update_ue_pcell(gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, const nr_rrc_cell_container_t *cell);
 
 #endif /* RRC_CELL_MANAGEMENT_H_ */
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index 50a8ed16e1..704317febe 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -1416,8 +1416,13 @@ static void rrc_handle_RRCSetupRequest(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc,
     rrc_gNB_generate_RRCReject(rrc, ue_context_p);
     return;
   }
-  /* Add PCell to serving_cells array */
-  rrc_add_ue_serving_cell(UE, cell, RRC_PCELL_INDEX);
+  /* Update PCell in serving_cells array */
+  ue_serving_cell_t *added = rrc_update_ue_pcell(UE, cell);
+  if (added == NULL) {
+    LOG_E(NR_RRC, "RRCSetup: failed to add PCell (cell %ld)\n", cell->info.cell_id);
+    rrc_gNB_generate_RRCReject(rrc, ue_context_p);
+    return;
+  }
   UE->ongoing_reconfiguration = false;
   UE->measConfig = nr_rrc_get_measconfig(rrc, msg->nr_cellid);
   activate_srb(UE, 1);
@@ -1490,26 +1495,6 @@ static const nr_rrc_cell_container_t *get_previous_cell_by_pci_in_du(gNB_RRC_INS
   return rrc_get_cell_by_pci_for_du(&du->cells, pci);
 }
 
-/** @brief Update UE's PCell in serving_cells array
- * @param[in] UE UE context
- * @param[in] cell Cell container to set as PCell
- * @return Pointer to added serving cell entry, or NULL on failure
- * @note If UE already has a PCell, removes all serving cells from the old PCell's DU first */
-static ue_serving_cell_t *rrc_update_ue_pcell(gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, const nr_rrc_cell_container_t *cell)
-{
-  DevAssert(UE != NULL);
-  DevAssert(cell != NULL);
-
-  // If UE already has a PCell, remove all serving cells from that DU first
-  const ue_serving_cell_t *existing_pcell = ue_get_pcell_entry(UE);
-  if (existing_pcell != NULL) {
-    rrc_remove_ue_scells_from_du(UE, existing_pcell->assoc_id);
-  }
-
-  // Add the new PCell
-  return rrc_add_ue_serving_cell(UE, cell, RRC_PCELL_INDEX);
-}
-
 static void rrc_handle_RRCReestablishmentRequest(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc,
                                                  sctp_assoc_t assoc_id,
                                                  const NR_RRCReestablishmentRequest_IEs_t *req,
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_mobility.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_mobility.c
index d18937fbc5..4d2785d9a0 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_mobility.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_mobility.c
@@ -453,36 +453,22 @@ bool nr_rrc_update_cell_assoc_after_ho(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE)
     return false;
   }
 
-  if (UE->ho_context->source) {
-    /* F1 HO (intra-CU): migrate serving cells from source DU to target cell */
-    nr_ho_source_cu_t *source_ctx = UE->ho_context->source;
-
-    // Remove SCells that belong to the source DU during handover (cell group changes)
-    // This also removes PCell if it was on the source DU
-    rrc_remove_ue_scells_from_du(UE, source_ctx->cell->assoc_id);
-
-    // Update PCell in serving_cells
-    ue_serving_cell_t *added = rrc_add_ue_serving_cell(UE, target_ctx->cell, RRC_PCELL_INDEX);
-    if (added == NULL) {
-      LOG_E(NR_RRC,
-            "UE %d handover: failed to add PCell (cell %ld) to serving cells\n",
-            UE->rrc_ue_id,
-            target_ctx->cell->info.cell_id);
-      return false;
-    }
-  } else {
+  if (!UE->ho_context->source) {
     /* Inter-CU (N2/Xn target): this UE context has no serving cells yet */
     const ue_serving_cell_t *existing_pcell = ue_get_pcell_entry(UE);
     AssertFatal(existing_pcell == NULL, "UE context should not have PCell yet (inter-CU target)\n");
+  }
 
-    ue_serving_cell_t *added = rrc_add_ue_serving_cell(UE, target_ctx->cell, RRC_PCELL_INDEX);
-    if (added == NULL) {
-      LOG_E(NR_RRC,
-            "UE %d handover: failed to add PCell (cell %ld) to serving cells\n",
-            UE->rrc_ue_id,
-            target_ctx->cell->info.cell_id);
-      return false;
-    }
+  /* Update PCell: removes all serving cells from existing PCell's DU (if any)
+   * and adds the target cell as the new PCell. For F1 HO (intra-CU), this
+   * migrates serving cells from source DU to target DU. */
+  ue_serving_cell_t *added = rrc_update_ue_pcell(UE, target_ctx->cell);
+  if (added == NULL) {
+    LOG_E(NR_RRC,
+          "UE %d handover: failed to add PCell (cell %ld) to serving cells\n",
+          UE->rrc_ue_id,
+          target_ctx->cell->info.cell_id);
+    return false;
   }
 
   return true;