diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
index d5896bbffd..619e425ff9 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
@@ -573,6 +573,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     }
   }
 
+  free_nrLDPC_coding_interface(&nrLDPC_coding_interface);
   free(pckg);
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/openair1/PHY/CODING/nrLDPC_coding/nrLDPC_coding_interface_load.c b/openair1/PHY/CODING/nrLDPC_coding/nrLDPC_coding_interface_load.c
index 4819b68598..ab80eb77a0 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/CODING/nrLDPC_coding/nrLDPC_coding_interface_load.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/CODING/nrLDPC_coding/nrLDPC_coding_interface_load.c
@@ -70,5 +70,9 @@ int load_nrLDPC_coding_interface(char *version, nrLDPC_coding_interface_t *itf)
 
 int free_nrLDPC_coding_interface(nrLDPC_coding_interface_t *interface)
 {
-  return interface->nrLDPC_coding_shutdown();
+  if (interface->nrLDPC_coding_shutdown) {
+    return interface->nrLDPC_coding_shutdown();
+  } else {
+    return -1;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/openair1/PHY/INIT/nr_init.c b/openair1/PHY/INIT/nr_init.c
index 581338fa45..2b8ede1069 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/INIT/nr_init.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/INIT/nr_init.c
@@ -292,6 +292,9 @@ void phy_free_nr_gNB(PHY_VARS_gNB *gNB)
     free_and_zero(pusch_vars->llr);
   } // ULSCH_id
   free(gNB->pusch_vars);
+
+  free_nrLDPC_coding_interface(&gNB->nrLDPC_coding_interface);
+
 }
 
 //Adding nr_schedule_handler
diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlschsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlschsim.c
index 1730c91816..4062077ab7 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlschsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/dlschsim.c
@@ -661,8 +661,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     free(gNB->gNB_config.tdd_table.max_tdd_periodicity_list[i].max_num_of_symbol_per_slot_list);
   free(gNB->gNB_config.tdd_table.max_tdd_periodicity_list);
 
-  free_nrLDPC_coding_interface(&gNB->nrLDPC_coding_interface);
-
   abortTpool(&gNB->threadPool);
 
   phy_free_nr_gNB(gNB);
diff --git a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulschsim.c b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulschsim.c
index 8a39852995..12c3551566 100644
--- a/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulschsim.c
+++ b/openair1/SIMULATION/NR_PHY/ulschsim.c
@@ -603,8 +603,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     free(gNB->gNB_config.tdd_table.max_tdd_periodicity_list[i].max_num_of_symbol_per_slot_list);
   free(gNB->gNB_config.tdd_table.max_tdd_periodicity_list);
 
-  free_nrLDPC_coding_interface(&gNB->nrLDPC_coding_interface);
-
   term_nr_ue_signal(UE, 1);
   free(UE);