diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 185398c24e..6d06d30c17 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -256,8 +256,11 @@ add_definitions("-DPACKAGE_BUGREPORT=\"openair4g-devel@lists.eurecom.fr\"")
 
 # Debug related options
 #########################################
-add_boolean_option(DEBUG_ASN1      False "ASN1 coder/decoder Debug" OFF)
-#add_boolean_option(DEBUG_MAC_INTERFACE False "print MAC-RLC PDU exchange to stdout") # if true, make sure that global and PDCP log levels are trace, not found in code, commented out, to be removed
+add_boolean_option(DEBUG_ASN1 False "Enable ASN1 debug logs" OFF)
+# asn1c skeletons have hardcoded this flag to make customized debug logs
+# OAI uses this feature to re-use OAI LOG_I(ASN1, ...)
+# see common/utils/config.h
+add_boolean_option(TRACE_ASN1C_ENC_DEC OFF "Enable ASN1 encoder/decoder debug traces via OAI logging system" ON)
 add_boolean_option(T_TRACER            True  "Activate the T tracer, a debugging/monitoring framework" ON)
 add_boolean_option(UE_AUTOTEST_TRACE   False "Activate UE autotest specific logs" ON)
 add_boolean_option(UE_DEBUG_TRACE      False "Activate UE debug trace" ON)
@@ -267,12 +270,6 @@ set (OCP_ITTI ${OPENAIR_DIR}/common/utils/ocp_itti)
 add_library(ITTI ${OCP_ITTI}/intertask_interface.cpp)
 target_link_libraries(ITTI PRIVATE asn1_lte_rrc_hdrs asn1_nr_rrc_hdrs)
 
-# asn1c skeletons have hardcoded this flag to make customized debug logs
-# OAI uses this feature to re-use OAI LOG_I(ASN1, ...)
-if (DEBUG_ASN1C)
-  add_definitions(-DHAVE_CONFIG_H)
-endif()
-
 # asn1c skeletons need this
 add_definitions(-DHAVE_NETINET_IN_H)
 
diff --git a/cmake_targets/build_oai b/cmake_targets/build_oai
index cb66d4f862..a9241bf3b3 100755
--- a/cmake_targets/build_oai
+++ b/cmake_targets/build_oai
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ Options:
    Builds Coverity-Scan objects for upload
 --disable-deadline
    Disables deadline scheduler of Linux kernel (>=3.14.x).
+--trace-asn1c-enc-dec
+   Output asn1c logging traces via OAI logging system.
 --enable-deadline
    Enable deadline scheduler of Linux kernel (>=3.14.x). 
 --disable-cpu-affinity
@@ -416,6 +418,10 @@ function main() {
             sleep 2
             CMAKE_CMD="$CMAKE_CMD -DSANITIZE_MEMORY=ON -DSANITIZE_ADDRESS=OFF -DSANITIZE_UNDEFINED=OFF"
             shift;;
+       --trace-asn1c-enc-dec)
+            CMAKE_CMD="$CMAKE_CMD -DTRACE_ASN1C_ENC_DEC=ON"
+            echo_info "Enabling asn1c internal traces via OAI logging system"
+            shift 1;;
         -h | --help)
             print_help
             exit 1;;
diff --git a/common/utils/T/T_messages.txt b/common/utils/T/T_messages.txt
index c535f36f5e..71cd8a5486 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/T_messages.txt
+++ b/common/utils/T/T_messages.txt
@@ -969,25 +969,25 @@ ID = LEGACY_OSA_TRACE
     GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_OSA:LEGACY_GROUP_TRACE:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
 
-ID = LEGACY_ASN_INFO
-    DESC = ASN legacy logs - info level
-    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN:LEGACY_GROUP_INFO:LEGACY
+ID = LEGACY_ASN1_INFO
+    DESC = ASN1 legacy logs - info level
+    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN1:LEGACY_GROUP_INFO:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
-ID = LEGACY_ASN_ERROR
-    DESC = ASN legacy logs - error level
-    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN:LEGACY_GROUP_ERROR:LEGACY
+ID = LEGACY_ASN1_ERROR
+    DESC = ASN1 legacy logs - error level
+    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN1:LEGACY_GROUP_ERROR:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
-ID = LEGACY_ASN_WARNING
-    DESC = ASN legacy logs - warning level
-    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN:LEGACY_GROUP_WARNING:LEGACY
+ID = LEGACY_ASN1_WARNING
+    DESC = ASN1 legacy logs - warning level
+    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN1:LEGACY_GROUP_WARNING:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
-ID = LEGACY_ASN_DEBUG
-    DESC = ASN legacy logs - debug level
-    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN:LEGACY_GROUP_DEBUG:LEGACY
+ID = LEGACY_ASN1_DEBUG
+    DESC = ASN1 legacy logs - debug level
+    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN1:LEGACY_GROUP_DEBUG:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
-ID = LEGACY_ASN_TRACE
-    DESC = ASN legacy logs - trace level
-    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN:LEGACY_GROUP_TRACE:LEGACY
+ID = LEGACY_ASN1_TRACE
+    DESC = ASN1 legacy logs - trace level
+    GROUP = ALL:LEGACY_ASN1:LEGACY_GROUP_TRACE:LEGACY
     FORMAT = string,log
 
 ID = LEGACY_SIM_INFO
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/CMakeLists.txt b/common/utils/T/tracer/CMakeLists.txt
index b60649d2d4..a587b00243 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-add_library(tracer_utils OBJECT config.c database.c event.c handler.c utils.c)
+add_library(tracer_utils OBJECT configuration.c database.c event.c handler.c utils.c)
 target_link_libraries(tracer_utils PUBLIC m pthread)
 
 add_library(tracer_events OBJECT event_selector.c)
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/Makefile b/common/utils/T/tracer/Makefile
index 0713d9a3df..6ddf05e65b 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/Makefile
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/Makefile
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ all: record replay extract_config textlog enb ue vcd macpdu2wireshark \
      extract_input_subframe extract_output_subframe to_vcd extract multi \
      gnb
 
-record: utils.o record.o database.o config.o
+record: utils.o record.o database.o configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o record $^ $(LIBS)
 
 replay: utils.o replay.o
@@ -20,48 +20,48 @@ extract_config: extract_config.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o extract_config $^ $(LIBS)
 
 extract_input_subframe: extract_input_subframe.o database.o event.o utils.o \
-    config.o
+    configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
 extract_output_subframe: extract_output_subframe.o database.o event.o utils.o \
-    config.o
+    configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
-extract: extract.o database.o event.o utils.o config.o
+extract: extract.o database.o event.o utils.o configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
-textlog: utils.o textlog.o database.o event.o handler.o config.o \
+textlog: utils.o textlog.o database.o event.o handler.o configuration.o \
          event_selector.o view/view.a gui/gui.a logger/logger.a \
          filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o textlog $^ $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
 
-enb: utils.o enb.o database.o event.o handler.o config.o \
+enb: utils.o enb.o database.o event.o handler.o configuration.o \
          event_selector.o view/view.a gui/gui.a logger/logger.a \
          filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o enb $^ $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
 
-ue: utils.o ue.o database.o event.o handler.o config.o \
+ue: utils.o ue.o database.o event.o handler.o configuration.o \
          event_selector.o view/view.a gui/gui.a logger/logger.a \
          filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o ue $^ $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
 
-vcd: utils.o vcd.o database.o event.o handler.o config.o \
+vcd: utils.o vcd.o database.o event.o handler.o configuration.o \
          event_selector.o view/view.a gui/gui.a logger/logger.a \
          filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o vcd $^ $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
 
-to_vcd: to_vcd.o database.o event.o handler.o utils.o config.o \
+to_vcd: to_vcd.o database.o event.o handler.o utils.o configuration.o \
          logger/logger.a filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o to_vcd $^ $(LIBS)
 
 macpdu2wireshark: macpdu2wireshark.o database.o utils.o handler.o event.o \
-                  config.o
+                  configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
-multi: multi.o utils.o database.o config.o
+multi: multi.o utils.o database.o configuration.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o multi $^ $(LIBS)
 
-gnb: utils.o gnb.o database.o event.o handler.o config.o \
+gnb: utils.o gnb.o database.o event.o handler.o configuration.o \
          view/view.a gui/gui.a logger/logger.a \
          filter/filter.a
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o gnb $^ $(LIBS) $(XLIBS)
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/config.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/configuration.c
similarity index 97%
rename from common/utils/T/tracer/config.c
rename to common/utils/T/tracer/configuration.c
index 723902ec9c..701043c05e 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/config.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/configuration.c
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/config.h b/common/utils/T/tracer/configuration.h
similarity index 100%
rename from common/utils/T/tracer/config.h
rename to common/utils/T/tracer/configuration.h
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/enb.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/enb.c
index ea499a68f8..9a4751b67e 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/enb.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/enb.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "event_selector.h"
 #include "openair_logo.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 /****************************************************************************/
 /* conversion from rnti to "ue_id" (which does not really exists)           */
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
index f5d12e472c..41da5c0823 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/event.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #include "event.h"
 #include "database.h"
 #include "utils.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract.c
index bd1649a31a..fe3177b74a 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include "database.h"
 #include "event.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 void usage(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_input_subframe.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_input_subframe.c
index 48e3ec07f9..78bc288df1 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_input_subframe.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_input_subframe.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include "database.h"
 #include "event.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 void usage(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_output_subframe.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_output_subframe.c
index d7f9ff95ed..5c5abb768e 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_output_subframe.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/extract_output_subframe.c
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include "database.h"
 #include "event.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 void usage(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/gnb.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/gnb.c
index 6629a1efd6..a2953cb00d 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/gnb.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/gnb.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include "database.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "handler.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 #include "logger/logger.h"
 #include "gui/gui.h"
 #include "utils.h"
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/hacks/Makefile b/common/utils/T/tracer/hacks/Makefile
index af2663e48f..f345bb4499 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/hacks/Makefile
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/hacks/Makefile
@@ -5,18 +5,18 @@ LIBS=-lX11 -lm -lpng -lXft
 
 all: dump_nack_signal time_meas timeplot multi-rru-clean
 
-dump_nack_signal: ../utils.o ../database.o ../config.o ../event.o \
+dump_nack_signal: ../utils.o ../database.o ../configuration.o ../event.o \
                   dump_nack_signal.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o dump_nack_signal $^ $(LIBS)
 
-time_meas: ../utils.o ../database.o ../config.o ../event.o \
+time_meas: ../utils.o ../database.o ../configuration.o ../event.o \
                   time_meas.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o time_meas $^ $(LIBS)
 
 timplot: timeplot.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o timeplot $^ $(LIBS)
 
-multi-rru-clean: ../utils.o ../database.o ../event.o ../config.o multi-rru-clean.o
+multi-rru-clean: ../utils.o ../database.o ../event.o ../configuration.o multi-rru-clean.o
 	$(CC) $(CFLAGS) -o $@ $^ $(LIBS)
 
 .PHONY: all
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/macpdu2wireshark.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/macpdu2wireshark.c
index 195bf33335..02720e01f3 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/macpdu2wireshark.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/macpdu2wireshark.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 #include "database.h"
 #include "event.h"
 #include "handler.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "packet-mac-lte.h"
 
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/multi.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/multi.c
index 6a9de838c6..73fadc37d3 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/multi.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/multi.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "database.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "../T.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 #define DEFAULT_LOCAL_PORT 2022
 
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/record.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/record.c
index a565884e52..e4c059a5ca 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/record.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/record.c
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 #include "database.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "../T_defs.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 void usage(void)
 {
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/textlog.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/textlog.c
index 99cddaf43a..71a928ce80 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/textlog.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/textlog.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "gui/gui.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "event_selector.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 typedef struct {
   int socket;
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/to_vcd.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/to_vcd.c
index a3c13aebf9..be3c839115 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/to_vcd.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/to_vcd.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 #include "database.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "handler.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 #include "logger/logger.h"
 #include "view/view.h"
 
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/ue.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/ue.c
index bafa0384f2..31584e0215 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/ue.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/ue.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "event_selector.h"
 #include "openair_logo.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 typedef struct {
   view *phyview;
diff --git a/common/utils/T/tracer/vcd.c b/common/utils/T/tracer/vcd.c
index d4faa5fd84..c57798c4c4 100644
--- a/common/utils/T/tracer/vcd.c
+++ b/common/utils/T/tracer/vcd.c
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 #include "gui/gui.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "event_selector.h"
-#include "config.h"
+#include "configuration.h"
 
 typedef struct {
   int socket;
diff --git a/common/utils/config.h b/common/utils/config.h
index 6d15a309c9..91aabe1347 100644
--- a/common/utils/config.h
+++ b/common/utils/config.h
@@ -22,12 +22,15 @@
 #ifndef UTILS_CONFIG_H_ASN1
 #define UTILS_CONFIG_H_ASN1
 
-// This is hard coded file name "config.h" and HAVE_CONFIG_H_ in asn1c skeletons
+// This is hard coded file name "config.h" in asn1c skeletons
 
 /*
  * This file "config.h" will be used by asn1c if HAVE_CONFIG_H_ is defined and
- * included. This logs asn1c encoder and decoder traces at execution time using
- * the regular OAI logging system, i.e., LOG_I(ASN1...);
+ * included (this is the case for OAI).
+ * This allows to trace the asn1c encoder and decoder at execution time using
+ * the regular OAI logging system, i.e., LOG_I(ASN1, ...);
+ *
+ * to enable it, at compilation time, see ./build_oai --enable-asn1c-debug
  *
  * As it is very verbose, note that you can change the log level per module in
  * source or in gdb, e.g., to only activate it for a short time.
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "common/utils/LOG/log.h"
-#if DEBUG_ASN1C
+#if TRACE_ASN1C_ENC_DEC
 #define ASN_DEBUG(x...) do{ LOG_I(ASN1,x);LOG_I(ASN1,"\n"); } while(false)
 #else
 #define ASN_DEBUG(x...)