diff --git a/executables/nr-softmodem.c b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
index e952a525a4..c402b0ed08 100644
--- a/executables/nr-softmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
@@ -605,11 +605,7 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
     LOG_W(UTIL,
           "no SYS_NICE capability: cannot set thread priority and affinity, consider running with sudo for optimum performance\n");
 
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->do_ra)
-    AssertFatal(get_softmodem_params()->phy_test == 0,"RA and phy_test are mutually exclusive\n");
-
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->sa)
-    AssertFatal(get_softmodem_params()->phy_test == 0,"Standalone mode and phy_test are mutually exclusive\n");
+  softmodem_verify_mode(get_softmodem_params());
 
 #if T_TRACER
   T_Config_Init();
diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
index 51520d031f..519c7ffbc4 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
@@ -407,6 +407,9 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
   get_common_options(uniqCfg, SOFTMODEM_5GUE_BIT);
   CONFIG_CLEARRTFLAG(CONFIG_NOEXITONHELP);
+
+  softmodem_verify_mode(get_softmodem_params());
+
 #if T_TRACER
   T_Config_Init();
 #endif
@@ -461,12 +464,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     get_channel_model_mode(uniqCfg);
   }
 
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->do_ra)
-    AssertFatal(get_softmodem_params()->phy_test == 0,"RA and phy_test are mutually exclusive\n");
-
-  if (get_softmodem_params()->sa)
-    AssertFatal(get_softmodem_params()->phy_test == 0,"Standalone mode and phy_test are mutually exclusive\n");
-
   if (!get_softmodem_params()->nsa && get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1)
     start_oai_nrue_threads();
 
diff --git a/executables/softmodem-common.c b/executables/softmodem-common.c
index d566767902..394235e8f0 100644
--- a/executables/softmodem-common.c
+++ b/executables/softmodem-common.c
@@ -174,6 +174,24 @@ void get_common_options(configmodule_interface_t *cfg, uint32_t execmask)
   if (stats_disabled)
     set_softmodem_optmask(SOFTMODEM_NOSTATS_BIT);
 }
+
+void softmodem_verify_mode(const softmodem_params_t *p)
+{
+  if (IS_SA_MODE(p)) {
+    LOG_I(UTIL, "running in SA mode (no --phy-test, --do-ra, --nsa option present)\n");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  if (p->phy_test)
+    LOG_I(UTIL, "running in phy-test mode (--phy-test)\n");
+  if (p->do_ra)
+    LOG_I(UTIL, "running in do-ra mode (--do-ra)\n");
+  if (p->nsa)
+    LOG_I(UTIL, "running in NSA mode (--nsa)\n");
+  int num_modes = p->phy_test + p->do_ra + p->nsa;
+  AssertFatal(num_modes == 1, "--phy-test, --do-ra, and --nsa are mutually exclusive\n");
+}
+
 void softmodem_printresources(int sig, telnet_printfunc_t pf) {
   struct rusage usage;
   struct timespec stop;
diff --git a/executables/softmodem-common.h b/executables/softmodem-common.h
index ee2339b85c..6707e38c2e 100644
--- a/executables/softmodem-common.h
+++ b/executables/softmodem-common.h
@@ -330,6 +330,7 @@ typedef struct {
 } softmodem_params_t;
 
 #define IS_SA_MODE(sM_params) (!(sM_params)->phy_test && !(sM_params)->do_ra && !(sM_params)->nsa)
+void softmodem_verify_mode(const softmodem_params_t *p);
 
 uint64_t get_softmodem_optmask(void);
 uint64_t set_softmodem_optmask(uint64_t bitmask);