diff --git a/openair2/COMMON/rrc_messages_types.h b/openair2/COMMON/rrc_messages_types.h
index 5b214cf95a..67b0b610cc 100644
--- a/openair2/COMMON/rrc_messages_types.h
+++ b/openair2/COMMON/rrc_messages_types.h
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ typedef struct RadioResourceConfig_s {
   long                    ue_TransmissionMode;
   long                    ue_multiple_max;
   //SIB2 BR Options
-  long       *preambleTransMax_CE_r13;
+  long       preambleTransMax_CE_r13;
   BOOLEAN_t     prach_ConfigCommon_v1310;
   BOOLEAN_t            *mpdcch_startSF_CSS_RA_r13;
   long        mpdcch_startSF_CSS_RA_r13_val;
diff --git a/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_config_eMTC.c b/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_config_eMTC.c
index cfd057bad8..2e71f17e9d 100644
--- a/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_config_eMTC.c
+++ b/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_config_eMTC.c
@@ -681,6 +681,58 @@ void fill_eMTC_configuration(MessageDef *msg_p,  ccparams_eMTC_t *eMTCconfig, in
 		 "Failed to parse eNB configuration file %s, enb %d unknown value \"%d\" for rach_maxHARQ_Msg3Tx choice: 1..8!\n",
 		 config_fname, cell_idx,eMTCconfig->ccparams.rach_maxHARQ_Msg3Tx);
 
+  switch (eMTCconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13) {
+  case 3:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n3;
+    break;
+
+  case 4:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n4;
+    break;
+
+  case 5:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n5;
+    break;
+
+  case 6:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n6;
+    break;
+
+  case 7:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n7;
+    break;
+
+  case 8:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n8;
+    break;
+
+  case 10:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n10;
+    break;
+
+  case 20:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n20;
+    break;
+
+  case 50:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n50;
+    break;
+
+  case 100:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n100;
+    break;
+
+  case 200:
+    RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].preambleTransMax_CE_r13=  LTE_PreambleTransMax_n200;
+    break;
+
+  default:
+    AssertFatal (0,
+		 "Failed to parse eNB configuration file %s, enb %d unknown value \"%d\" for rach_preambleTransMax_CE_r13 choice: 3,4,5,6,7,8,10,20,50,100,200!\n",
+		 config_fname, cell_idx,eMTCconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13);
+    break;
+  }
+
   switch (eMTCconfig->ccparams.pcch_defaultPagingCycle) {
   case 32:
     RRC_CONFIGURATION_REQ (msg_p).radioresourceconfig_BR[cc_idx].pcch_defaultPagingCycle= LTE_PCCH_Config__defaultPagingCycle_rf32;
diff --git a/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_paramdef_emtc.h b/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_paramdef_emtc.h
index de774c4ea6..928c9d22e3 100644
--- a/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_paramdef_emtc.h
+++ b/openair2/ENB_APP/enb_paramdef_emtc.h
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ typedef struct ccparams_eMTC_s {
   int            interval_DLHoppingConfigCommonModeA_r13_val;
   int            interval_DLHoppingConfigCommonModeB_r13_val;
   int            mpdcch_pdsch_HoppingOffset_r13;
-  char          *preambleTransMax_CE_r13;
+  int            preambleTransMax_CE_r13;
   int            prach_HoppingOffset_r13;
   int            schedulingInfoSIB1_BR_r13;
   int64_t        fdd_DownlinkOrTddSubframeBitmapBR_val_r13;
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ typedef struct ccparams_eMTC_s {
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_INTERVAL_DL_HOPPING_CONFIG_COMMON_MODE_B_R13,         NULL,   0,           strptr:&eMTCconfig->interval_DLHoppingConfigCommonModeB_r13,   defstrval:"interval-FDD-r13",      TYPE_STRING,       0}, \
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_INTERVAL_DL_HOPPING_CONFIG_COMMON_MODE_B_R13_VAL,     NULL,   0,           iptr:&eMTCconfig->interval_DLHoppingConfigCommonModeB_r13_val, defintval:0,                       TYPE_UINT,         0}, \
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_MPDCCH_PDSCH_HOPPING_OFFSET_R13,                      NULL,   0,           iptr:&eMTCconfig->mpdcch_pdsch_HoppingOffset_r13,              defintval:1,                       TYPE_UINT,         0}, \
-{ENB_CONFIG_STRING_PREAMBLE_TRANSMAX_CE_R13,                             NULL,   0,           strptr:&eMTCconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13,                   defstrval:"n10",                   TYPE_STRING,       0},  \
+{ENB_CONFIG_STRING_PREAMBLE_TRANSMAX_CE_R13,                             NULL,   0,           iptr:&eMTCconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13,                   defintval:10,                   TYPE_UINT,       0},  \
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_PUCCH_NUM_REPETITION_CE_MSG4_LEVEL0,                  NULL,   0,           strptr:&eMTCconfig->pucch_NumRepetitionCE_Msg4_Level0_r13,     defstrval:"n1",                    TYPE_STRING,     0}, \
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_PUCCH_NUM_REPETITION_CE_MSG4_LEVEL1,                  NULL,   0,           strptr:&eMTCconfig->pucch_NumRepetitionCE_Msg4_Level1_r13,     defstrval:"",                      TYPE_STRING,     0}, \
 {ENB_CONFIG_STRING_PUCCH_NUM_REPETITION_CE_MSG4_LEVEL2,                  NULL,   0,           strptr:&eMTCconfig->pucch_NumRepetitionCE_Msg4_Level2_r13,     defstrval:"",                      TYPE_STRING,     0}, \
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/LTE/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.c b/openair2/RRC/LTE/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.c
index bd09540627..c34c65b195 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/LTE/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/LTE/MESSAGES/asn1_msg.c
@@ -1331,10 +1331,8 @@ uint8_t do_SIB23(uint8_t Mod_id,
     (*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1 = calloc(1, sizeof(struct LTE_RACH_ConfigCommon__ext1));
     memset((*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1, 0, sizeof(struct LTE_RACH_ConfigCommon__ext1));
 
-    if (rrconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13) {
-      (*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->preambleTransMax_CE_r13 = calloc(1, sizeof(LTE_PreambleTransMax_t));
-      *(*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->preambleTransMax_CE_r13 = *rrconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13; // to be re-initialized when we find the enum
-    } else (*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->preambleTransMax_CE_r13 = NULL;
+    (*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->preambleTransMax_CE_r13 = calloc(1, sizeof(LTE_PreambleTransMax_t));
+    *(*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->preambleTransMax_CE_r13 = rrconfig->preambleTransMax_CE_r13; // to be re-initialized when we find the enum
 
     (*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->rach_CE_LevelInfoList_r13 = calloc(1, sizeof(LTE_RACH_CE_LevelInfoList_r13_t));
     memset((*sib2)->radioResourceConfigCommon.rach_ConfigCommon.ext1->rach_CE_LevelInfoList_r13, 0, sizeof(LTE_RACH_CE_LevelInfoList_r13_t));