diff --git a/openair3/NAS/NR_UE/nr_nas_msg_sim.c b/openair3/NAS/NR_UE/nr_nas_msg_sim.c
index 2ea39a78f0..08fe4a3840 100644
--- a/openair3/NAS/NR_UE/nr_nas_msg_sim.c
+++ b/openair3/NAS/NR_UE/nr_nas_msg_sim.c
@@ -56,14 +56,6 @@ uint8_t  *registration_request_buf;
 uint32_t  registration_request_len;
 extern char *baseNetAddress;
 
-static uicc_t * checkUicc(int Mod_id) {
-  if (!PHY_vars_UE_g[Mod_id][0]->uicc) {
-    char uiccName[64];
-    sprintf(uiccName,"uicc%d",  Mod_id);
-    PHY_vars_UE_g[Mod_id][0]->uicc=(void*)init_uicc(uiccName);
-  }
-  return (uicc_t*) PHY_vars_UE_g[Mod_id][0]->uicc;  
-}
 
 static int nas_protected_security_header_encode(
   char                                       *buffer,
diff --git a/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.c b/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.c
index 059802269f..0973d75082 100644
--- a/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.c
+++ b/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <openair3/UICC/usim_interface.h>
 #include <openair3/NAS/COMMON/milenage.h>
+extern uint16_t NB_UE_INST;
 
 #define UICC_SECTION    "uicc"
 #define UICC_CONFIG_HELP_OPTIONS     " list of comma separated options to interface a simulated (real UICC to be developped). Available options: \n"\
@@ -43,6 +44,8 @@
     {"sqn",              "USIM sqn\n",           0,         strptr:&(uicc->sqnStr),               defstrval:"000000",     TYPE_STRING,    0 },\
   };
 
+static uicc_t** uiccArray=NULL;
+
 const char *hexTable="0123456789abcdef";
 static inline uint8_t mkDigit(unsigned char in) {
   for (int i=0; i<16; i++)
@@ -91,3 +94,15 @@ void uicc_milenage_generate(uint8_t *autn, uicc_t *uicc) {
   log_dump(SIM,autn,sizeof(autn), LOG_DUMP_CHAR,"milenage output autn:");
 }
 
+uicc_t * checkUicc(int Mod_id) {
+  AssertFatal(Mod_id < NB_UE_INST, "Mod_id must be less than NB_UE_INST. Mod_id:%d NB_UE_INST:%d", Mod_id,NB_UE_INST);
+  if(uiccArray==NULL){
+    uiccArray=(uicc_t **)calloc(1,sizeof(uicc_t*)*NB_UE_INST);
+  }
+  if (!uiccArray[Mod_id]) {
+    char uiccName[64];
+    sprintf(uiccName,"uicc%d",  Mod_id);
+    uiccArray[Mod_id]=(void*)init_uicc(uiccName);
+  }
+  return (uicc_t*) uiccArray[Mod_id];  
+}
diff --git a/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.h b/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.h
index e8f241c1e8..ee489fa875 100644
--- a/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.h
+++ b/openair3/UICC/usim_interface.h
@@ -68,4 +68,5 @@ typedef struct {
  */
 uicc_t *init_uicc(char *sectionName);
 void uicc_milenage_generate(uint8_t * autn, uicc_t *uicc);
+uicc_t * checkUicc(int Mod_id);
 #endif