diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
index 78a571ad3e..46a30ad0b6 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
@@ -689,8 +689,7 @@ void nr_generate_Msg2(module_id_t module_idP,
         bwp,
         coreset,
         aggregation_level,
-        ss->searchSpaceType->present - 1, // 0 common, 1 ue-specific
-        UE_id,
+        0, /* n_RNTI 0: common search space */
         0); // m
 
     if (CCEIndex < 0) {
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
index 6d0e4ad5b1..0fa0121169 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
@@ -494,8 +494,7 @@ void nr_simple_dlsch_preprocessor(module_id_t module_id,
                                   sched_ctrl->active_bwp,
                                   sched_ctrl->coreset,
                                   sched_ctrl->aggregation_level,
-                                  sched_ctrl->search_space->searchSpaceType->present - 1,
-                                  UE_id,
+                                  UE_info->rnti[UE_id],
                                   0); // m
   if (sched_ctrl->cce_index < 0) {
     LOG_E(MAC, "%s(): could not find CCE for UE %d\n", __func__, UE_id);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
index 94784755ae..c7115dedce 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
@@ -422,8 +422,7 @@ int configure_fapi_dl_pdu_phytest(int Mod_idP,
       bwp,
       coreset,
       aggregation_level,
-      ss->searchSpaceType->present - 1, // 0 common, 1 ue-specific
-      UE_id,
+      UE_info->rnti[UE_id],
       0); // m
   if (CCEIndex < 0) {
     LOG_E(MAC, "%s(): CCE list not empty, couldn't schedule PDSCH\n", __func__);
@@ -1114,8 +1113,7 @@ void schedule_fapi_ul_pdu(int Mod_idP,
         bwp,
         coreset,
         aggregation_level,
-        ss->searchSpaceType->present - 1, // 0 common, 1 ue-specific
-        UE_id,
+        UE_info->rnti[UE_id],
         0); // m
     if (CCEIndex < 0) {
       LOG_E(MAC, "%s(): CCE list not empty, couldn't schedule PUSCH\n", __func__);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
index 095d76e4ff..bdaa402dad 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
@@ -173,17 +173,12 @@ int allocate_nr_CCEs(gNB_MAC_INST *nr_mac,
                      NR_BWP_Downlink_t *bwp,
                      NR_ControlResourceSet_t *coreset,
                      int aggregation,
-                     int search_space, // 0 common, 1 ue-specific
-                     int UE_id,
+                     uint16_t n_RNTI,
                      int m) {
   // uncomment these when we allocate for common search space
   //  NR_COMMON_channels_t                *cc      = nr_mac->common_channels;
   //  NR_ServingCellConfigCommon_t        *scc     = cc->ServingCellConfigCommon;
 
-  NR_UE_info_t *UE_info = &nr_mac->UE_info;
-
-  AssertFatal(UE_info->active[UE_id],"UE_id %d is not active\n",UE_id);
-
   int coreset_id = coreset->controlResourceSetId;
   int *cce_list = nr_mac->cce_list[bwp->bwp_Id][coreset_id];
 
@@ -195,17 +190,14 @@ int allocate_nr_CCEs(gNB_MAC_INST *nr_mac,
   n_rb*=6;
 
   uint16_t N_reg = n_rb * coreset->duration;
-  uint16_t Y=0, N_cce, M_s_max, n_CI=0;
-  uint16_t n_RNTI = search_space == 1 ? UE_info->rnti[UE_id]:0;
-  uint32_t A[3]={39827,39829,39839};
+  uint16_t n_CI=0;
+  const uint32_t A[3]={39827,39829,39839};
+  /* if n_RNTI is zero, this results in zero, too! */
+  uint16_t Y = (A[0]*n_RNTI)%65537; // Candidate 0, antenna port 0
 
-  N_cce = N_reg / NR_NB_REG_PER_CCE;
+  uint16_t N_cce = N_reg / NR_NB_REG_PER_CCE;
 
-  M_s_max = (aggregation==4)?4:(aggregation==8)?2:1;
-
-  if (search_space == 1) {
-    Y = (A[0]*n_RNTI)%65537; // Candidate 0, antenna port 0
-  }
+  uint16_t M_s_max = (aggregation==4)?4:(aggregation==8)?2:1;
   int first_cce = aggregation * (( Y + (m*N_cce)/(aggregation*M_s_max) + n_CI ) % CEILIDIV(N_cce,aggregation));
 
   for (int i=0;i<aggregation;i++)
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
index e8c4057978..420a37bd52 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
@@ -311,8 +311,7 @@ int allocate_nr_CCEs(gNB_MAC_INST *nr_mac,
                      NR_BWP_Downlink_t *bwp,
                      NR_ControlResourceSet_t *coreset,
                      int aggregation,
-                     int search_space, // 0 common, 1 ue-specific
-                     int UE_id,
+                     uint16_t n_RNTI,
                      int m);
 
 int get_dlscs(nfapi_nr_config_request_t *cfg);