diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index e8b3e43b4f..79668b123d 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -471,15 +471,14 @@ static void rrc_gNB_generate_RRCReject(module_id_t module_id, rrc_gNB_ue_context
 /*
 * Process the rrc setup complete message from UE (SRB1 Active)
 */
-static void rrc_gNB_process_RRCSetupComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP, rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_pP, NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete)
+static void rrc_gNB_process_RRCSetupComplete(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete)
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 {
-  LOG_A(NR_RRC, "UE %d Processing NR_RRCSetupComplete from UE\n", ue_context_pP->ue_context.rrc_ue_id);
-  ue_context_pP->ue_context.Srb[1].Active = 1;
-  ue_context_pP->ue_context.Srb[2].Active = 0;
-  AssertFatal(ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid == ue_context_pP->ue_context.rrc_ue_id, "logic bug: inconsistent IDs, must use CU UE ID!\n");
+  LOG_A(NR_RRC, "UE %d Processing NR_RRCSetupComplete from UE\n", UE->rrc_ue_id);
+  UE->Srb[1].Active = 1;
+  UE->Srb[2].Active = 0;
 
-  rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(ctxt_pP, ue_context_pP, rrcSetupComplete);
+  rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(rrc, UE, rrcSetupComplete);
 }
 
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1514,21 +1513,14 @@ static int handle_ueCapabilityInformation(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
   return 0;
 }
 
-static int handle_rrcSetupComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
-                                   rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p,
-                                   const NR_RRCSetupComplete_t *setup_complete)
+static void handle_rrcSetupComplete(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, const NR_RRCSetupComplete_t *setup_complete)
 {
-  if (!ue_context_p) {
-    LOG_I(NR_RRC, "Processing NR_RRCSetupComplete UE %lx, ue_context_p is NULL\n", ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid);
-    return -1;
-  }
-  gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE = &ue_context_p->ue_context;
   uint8_t xid = setup_complete->rrc_TransactionIdentifier;
   UE->xids[xid] = RRC_ACTION_NONE;
 
   if (setup_complete->criticalExtensions.present != NR_RRCSetupComplete__criticalExtensions_PR_rrcSetupComplete) {
-    LOG_E(NR_RRC, "malformed RRCSetupComplete received from UE %lx\n", ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid);
-    return -1;
+    LOG_E(NR_RRC, "malformed RRCSetupComplete received from UE %d\n", UE->rrc_ue_id);
+    return;
   }
 
   NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *setup_complete_ies = setup_complete->criticalExtensions.choice.rrcSetupComplete;
@@ -1539,7 +1531,7 @@ static int handle_rrcSetupComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
       const BIT_STRING_t *part2 = &setup_complete_ies->ng_5G_S_TMSI_Value->choice.ng_5G_S_TMSI_Part2;
       if (part2->size != 2) {
         LOG_E(NR_RRC, "wrong ng_5G_S_TMSI_Part2 size, expected 2, provided %lu", part2->size);
-        return -1;
+        return;
       }
 
       if (UE->Initialue_identity_5g_s_TMSI.presence) {
@@ -1555,7 +1547,7 @@ static int handle_rrcSetupComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
       const NR_NG_5G_S_TMSI_t *bs_stmsi = &setup_complete_ies->ng_5G_S_TMSI_Value->choice.ng_5G_S_TMSI;
       if (bs_stmsi->size != 6) {
         LOG_E(NR_RRC, "wrong ng_5G_S_TMSI size, expected 6, provided %lu", bs_stmsi->size);
-        return -1;
+        return;
       }
 
       fiveg_s_TMSI = BIT_STRING_to_uint64(bs_stmsi);
@@ -1583,9 +1575,8 @@ static int handle_rrcSetupComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
     }
   }
 
-  rrc_gNB_process_RRCSetupComplete(ctxt_pP, ue_context_p, setup_complete->criticalExtensions.choice.rrcSetupComplete);
-  LOG_I(NR_RRC, PROTOCOL_NR_RRC_CTXT_UE_FMT " UE State = NR_RRC_CONNECTED \n", PROTOCOL_NR_RRC_CTXT_UE_ARGS(ctxt_pP));
-  return 0;
+  rrc_gNB_process_RRCSetupComplete(rrc, UE, setup_complete->criticalExtensions.choice.rrcSetupComplete);
+  return;
 }
 
 static void handle_rrcReconfigurationComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
@@ -1644,10 +1635,10 @@ int rrc_gNB_decode_dcch(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
                         const sdu_size_t sdu_sizeP)
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 {
-  gNB_RRC_INST *gnb_rrc_inst = RC.nrrrc[ctxt_pP->module_id];
+  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[ctxt_pP->module_id];
 
   /* we look up by CU UE ID! Do NOT change back to RNTI! */
-  rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p = rrc_gNB_get_ue_context(gnb_rrc_inst, ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid);
+  rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p = rrc_gNB_get_ue_context(rrc, ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid);
   if (!ue_context_p) {
     LOG_E(RRC, "could not find UE context for CU UE ID %lu, aborting transaction\n", ctxt_pP->rntiMaybeUEid);
     return -1;
@@ -1683,8 +1674,7 @@ int rrc_gNB_decode_dcch(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
         break;
 
       case NR_UL_DCCH_MessageType__c1_PR_rrcSetupComplete:
-        if (handle_rrcSetupComplete(ctxt_pP, ue_context_p, ul_dcch_msg->message.choice.c1->choice.rrcSetupComplete) == -1)
-          return -1;
+        handle_rrcSetupComplete(rrc, UE, ul_dcch_msg->message.choice.c1->choice.rrcSetupComplete);
         break;
 
       case NR_UL_DCCH_MessageType__c1_PR_measurementReport:
@@ -1741,7 +1731,7 @@ int rrc_gNB_decode_dcch(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_pP,
            * to set up security, so trigger PDU sessions now. The UE NAS
            * message will be forwarded in the corresponding reconfiguration,
            * the Initial context setup response after reconfiguration complete. */
-          trigger_bearer_setup(gnb_rrc_inst, UE, UE->n_initial_pdu, UE->initial_pdus, 0);
+          trigger_bearer_setup(rrc, UE, UE->n_initial_pdu, UE->initial_pdus, 0);
         } else {
           /* we already have capabilities, and no PDU sessions to setup, ack
            * this UE */
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
index 66f0f4fc69..6a6644c0a0 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
@@ -147,26 +147,20 @@ void nr_rrc_pdcp_config_security(gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, bool enable_ciphering)
 /*
 * Initial UE NAS message on S1AP.
 */
-void
-rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(
-    const protocol_ctxt_t     *const ctxt_pP,
-    rrc_gNB_ue_context_t      *ue_context_pP,
-    NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete
-)
+void rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete)
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 {
-  // gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[ctxt_pP->module_id];
-  MessageDef         *message_p         = NULL;
-  gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE = &ue_context_pP->ue_context;
-
-  message_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_GNB, 0, NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ);
+  MessageDef *message_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_GNB, rrc->module_id, NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ);
   ngap_nas_first_req_t *req = &NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(message_p);
   memset(req, 0, sizeof(*req));
 
   req->gNB_ue_ngap_id = UE->rrc_ue_id;
 
   /* Assume that cause is coded in the same way in RRC and NGap, just check that the value is in NGap range */
-  AssertFatal(UE->establishment_cause < NGAP_RRC_CAUSE_LAST, "Establishment cause invalid (%jd/%d) for gNB %d!", UE->establishment_cause, NGAP_RRC_CAUSE_LAST, ctxt_pP->module_id);
+  AssertFatal(UE->establishment_cause < NGAP_RRC_CAUSE_LAST,
+              "Establishment cause invalid (%jd/%d)!",
+              UE->establishment_cause,
+              NGAP_RRC_CAUSE_LAST);
   req->establishment_cause = UE->establishment_cause;
 
   /* Forward NAS message */
@@ -207,8 +201,7 @@ rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(
     UE->ue_guami.amf_pointer = req->ue_identity.guami.amf_pointer;
 
     LOG_I(NGAP,
-          "[gNB %d] Build NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ adding in s_TMSI: GUAMI amf_set_id %u amf_region_id %u ue %x\n",
-          ctxt_pP->module_id,
+          "Build NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ adding in s_TMSI: GUAMI amf_set_id %u amf_region_id %u ue %x\n",
           req->ue_identity.guami.amf_set_id,
           req->ue_identity.guami.amf_region_id,
           UE->rnti);
@@ -216,7 +209,7 @@ rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(
     req->ue_identity.presenceMask = NGAP_UE_IDENTITIES_NONE;
   }
 
-  itti_send_msg_to_task (TASK_NGAP, ctxt_pP->instance, message_p);
+  itti_send_msg_to_task(TASK_NGAP, rrc->module_id, message_p);
 }
 
 static void fill_qos(NGAP_QosFlowSetupRequestList_t *qos, pdusession_t *session)
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.h b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.h
index ee091b4269..85745b5adf 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.h
@@ -40,12 +40,7 @@
 #include "NR_UL-DCCH-Message.h"
 #include "NGAP_CauseRadioNetwork.h"
 
-void
-rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(
-    const protocol_ctxt_t     *const ctxt_pP,
-    rrc_gNB_ue_context_t      *ue_context_pP,
-    NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete
-);
+void rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_NAS_FIRST_REQ(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, NR_RRCSetupComplete_IEs_t *rrcSetupComplete);
 
 int rrc_gNB_process_NGAP_INITIAL_CONTEXT_SETUP_REQ(MessageDef *msg_p, instance_t instance);