diff --git a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
index f9f27e2653..39fe1e4d2e 100644
--- a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
+++ b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ void cu_task_handle_sctp_association_resp(instance_t instance, sctp_new_associat
               instance,
               sctp_new_association_resp->ulp_cnx_id);
 
+    if (sctp_new_association_resp->sctp_state == SCTP_STATE_SHUTDOWN)
+      proto_agent_stop(instance);
       //f1ap_handle_setup_message(instance, sctp_new_association_resp->sctp_state == SCTP_STATE_SHUTDOWN);
     return; // exit -1 for debugging 
   }
@@ -75,10 +77,6 @@ void cu_task_handle_sctp_association_resp(instance_t instance, sctp_new_associat
     .remote_ipv4_address = RC.rrc[instance]->eth_params_s.remote_addr,
     .remote_port         = RC.rrc[instance]->eth_params_s.remote_portd
   };
-  /* stop, then start the PROTO_AGENT. If it is already stopped, stopping it
-   * again will do nothing, therefore it is safe to call here.
-   * TODO: call proto_agent_stop() when CU_TASK is informed about conn release */
-  proto_agent_stop(instance);
   AssertFatal(proto_agent_start(instance, &params) == 0,
               "could not start PROTO_AGENT for F1U on instance %d!\n", instance);
 }
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
index 148392280b..4b2c0218ea 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ int proto_agent_start(mod_id_t mod_id, const cudu_params_t *p)
   //DevAssert(p->remote_port > 1024); // "unprivileged" port
   
   proto_agent[mod_id].mod_id = mod_id;
+  proto_agent[mod_id].exit = 0;
 
   /* Initialize the channel container */
 
@@ -138,10 +139,14 @@ error:
 void proto_agent_stop(mod_id_t mod_id)
 {
   if (!proto_agent[mod_id].channel) return;
+  /* unlock the independent read thread proto_agent_receive() */
+  proto_agent[mod_id].exit = 1;
+  proto_agent_async_msg_recv_unlock(proto_agent[mod_id].channel->channel_info);
   proto_agent_async_release(proto_agent[mod_id].channel);
   proto_agent_destroy_channel(proto_agent[mod_id].channel->channel_id);
   free(proto_agent[mod_id].channel);
   proto_agent[mod_id].channel = NULL;
+  LOG_W(PROTO_AGENT, "server stopped\n");
 }
 
 //void
@@ -266,10 +271,11 @@ proto_agent_receive(void *args)
     msg = NULL;
     ser_msg = NULL;
     
-    if ((size = proto_agent_async_msg_recv(&data, &priority, inst->channel->channel_info)) <= 0){
+    if ((size = proto_agent_async_msg_recv(&data, &priority, inst->channel->channel_info)) < 0){
       err_code = PROTOCOL__FLEXSPLIT_ERR__MSG_ENQUEUING;
       goto error;
     }
+    if (inst->exit) break;
 
     LOG_D(PROTO_AGENT, "Server side Received message with size %d and priority %d, calling message handle\n", size, priority);
 
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.c b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.c
index 476ecac90d..eef697c5bb 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.c
@@ -84,6 +84,10 @@ int proto_agent_async_msg_recv(void **data, int *priority, void *channel_info)
   return message_get(channel->receive_queue, data, priority);
 }
 
+void proto_agent_async_msg_recv_unlock(proto_agent_async_channel_t *channel) {
+  message_get_unlock(channel->receive_queue);
+}
+
 void proto_agent_async_release(proto_agent_channel_t *channel)
 {
   proto_agent_async_channel_t *channel_info = channel->channel_info;
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.h b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.h
index 1205048052..27030924cd 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_async.h
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ int proto_agent_async_msg_send(void *data, int size, int priority, void *channel
 
 int proto_agent_async_msg_recv(void **data, int *priority, void *channel_info);
 
+/* unlocks a running proto_agent_async_msg_recv() */
+void proto_agent_async_msg_recv_unlock(proto_agent_async_channel_t *channel);
+
 void proto_agent_async_release(proto_agent_channel_t *channel);
 
 
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_defs.h b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_defs.h
index 8857a498ef..8724906d1a 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_defs.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent_defs.h
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ typedef struct proto_agent_instance_s {
   proto_agent_info_t agent_info;
   struct proto_agent_channel_s *channel;
   pthread_t   recv_thread;
+  uint8_t     exit;
 } proto_agent_instance_t;
 
 #endif