diff --git a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
index a9dacd9ac2..e7503874a3 100644
--- a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
+++ b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ int e1apCUUP_handle_SETUP_RESPONSE(e1ap_upcp_inst_t *inst, const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t
 
   /* transac_id */
   long transaction_id;
-  long old_transaction_id = inst->setupReq.transac_id;
+  long old_transaction_id = inst->cuup.setupReq.transac_id;
   F1AP_FIND_PROTOCOLIE_BY_ID(E1AP_GNB_CU_UP_E1SetupResponseIEs_t, ie, in,
                              E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_TransactionID, true);
   transaction_id = ie->value.choice.TransactionID;
@@ -1558,7 +1558,7 @@ static void e1_task_handle_sctp_association_resp(E1_t type, instance_t instance,
     extern instance_t CUuniqInstance;
     CUuniqInstance = getCxtE1(instance)->gtpInstF1U;
     cuup_init_n3(instance);
-    e1apCUUP_send_SETUP_REQUEST(inst->assoc_id, &inst->setupReq);
+    e1apCUUP_send_SETUP_REQUEST(inst->assoc_id, &inst->cuup.setupReq);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.c b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.c
index 71e93221ab..366d2b82e6 100644
--- a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.c
+++ b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.c
@@ -46,8 +46,10 @@ void createE1inst(E1_t type, instance_t instance, e1ap_net_config_t *nc, e1ap_se
   e1ap_inst[instance]->assoc_id = -1;
   if (nc)
     memcpy(&e1ap_inst[instance]->net_config, nc, sizeof(*nc));
-  if (req)
-    memcpy(&e1ap_inst[instance]->setupReq, req, sizeof(*req));
+  if (req) {
+    AssertFatal(type == UPtype, "E1 setup request only to be stored for CU-UP\n");
+    memcpy(&e1ap_inst[instance]->cuup.setupReq, req, sizeof(*req));
+  }
   e1ap_inst[instance]->gtpInstN3 = -1;
   e1ap_inst[instance]->gtpInstF1U = -1;
 }
diff --git a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.h b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.h
index 0159b92a97..bcd3d3b936 100644
--- a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.h
+++ b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap_common.h
@@ -33,9 +33,11 @@ typedef struct e1ap_upcp_inst_s {
   E1_t type;
   enum sctp_state_e sockState;
   sctp_assoc_t assoc_id;
+  struct {
+    e1ap_setup_req_t setupReq;
+  } cuup;
   instance_t gtpInstN3;
   instance_t gtpInstF1U;
-  e1ap_setup_req_t setupReq;
   e1ap_net_config_t net_config;
 } e1ap_upcp_inst_t;