diff --git a/executables/nr-ru.c b/executables/nr-ru.c
index 4a4fa8e7af..0f7c7e57fd 100644
--- a/executables/nr-ru.c
+++ b/executables/nr-ru.c
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ extern void  nr_phy_config_request(NR_PHY_Config_t *gNB);
 //extern WORKER_CONF_t   get_thread_worker_conf(void);
 
 void init_NR_RU(char *);
+void start_NR_RU();
 void stop_RU(int nb_ru);
-void do_ru_sync(RU_t *ru);
 
 void configure_ru(int idx, void *arg);
 void configure_rru(int idx, void *arg);
@@ -1398,7 +1398,6 @@ int start_write_thread(RU_t *ru) {
 void init_RU_proc(RU_t *ru) {
   int i=0;
   RU_proc_t *proc;
-  LOG_I(PHY,"Initializing RU proc %d (%s,%s),\n",ru->idx,NB_functions[ru->function],NB_timing[ru->if_timing]);
   proc = &ru->proc;
   memset((void *)proc,0,sizeof(RU_proc_t));
   proc->ru = ru;
@@ -1413,7 +1412,6 @@ void init_RU_proc(RU_t *ru) {
 
   pthread_mutex_init( &proc->mutex_emulateRF,NULL);
   pthread_cond_init( &proc->cond_emulateRF, NULL);
-  threadCreate( &proc->pthread_FH, ru_thread, (void *)ru, "ru_thread", ru->ru_thread_core, OAI_PRIORITY_RT_MAX );
 
   if(emulate_rf)
     threadCreate( &proc->pthread_emulateRF, emulatedRF_thread, (void *)proc, "emulateRF", -1, OAI_PRIORITY_RT );
@@ -1421,7 +1419,12 @@ void init_RU_proc(RU_t *ru) {
     threadCreate( &ru->ru_stats_thread, ru_stats_thread, (void *)ru,"ru_stats", -1, OAI_PRIORITY_RT );
   if (get_thread_worker_conf() == WORKER_ENABLE) {
   }
+  LOG_I(PHY, "Initialized RU proc %d (%s,%s),\n", ru->idx, NB_functions[ru->function], NB_timing[ru->if_timing]);
+}
 
+void start_RU_proc(RU_t *ru)
+{
+  threadCreate(&ru->proc.pthread_FH, ru_thread, (void *)ru, "ru_thread", ru->ru_thread_core, OAI_PRIORITY_RT_MAX);
 }
 
 
@@ -1875,6 +1878,12 @@ void init_NR_RU(char *rf_config_file) {
   LOG_D(HW,"[nr-softmodem.c] RU threads created\n");
 }
 
+void start_NR_RU()
+{
+  RU_t *ru = RC.ru[0];
+  start_RU_proc(ru);
+}
+
 
 void stop_RU(int nb_ru) {
   for (int inst = 0; inst < nb_ru; inst++) {
diff --git a/executables/nr-softmodem.c b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
index dfe2193d70..ff5f33e37b 100644
--- a/executables/nr-softmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
@@ -289,16 +289,14 @@ void exit_function(const char *file, const char *function, const int line, const
   }
 }
 
-
-
-static int create_gNB_tasks(void) {
+static int create_gNB_tasks(ngran_node_t node_type)
+{
   uint32_t                        gnb_nb = RC.nb_nr_inst; 
   uint32_t                        gnb_id_start = 0;
   uint32_t                        gnb_id_end = gnb_id_start + gnb_nb;
   LOG_D(GNB_APP, "%s(gnb_nb:%d)\n", __FUNCTION__, gnb_nb);
   itti_wait_ready(1);
   LOG_I(PHY, "%s() Task ready initialize structures\n", __FUNCTION__);
-  ngran_node_t node_type = get_node_type();
 
   RCconfig_NR_L1();
   RCconfig_nr_prs();
@@ -634,8 +632,9 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
     RCconfig_NR_L1();
 
   // don't create if node doesn't connect to RRC/S1/GTP
+  const ngran_node_t node_type = get_node_type();
   if (NFAPI_MODE != NFAPI_MODE_PNF) {
-    int ret = create_gNB_tasks();
+    int ret = create_gNB_tasks(node_type);
     AssertFatal(ret == 0, "cannot create ITTI tasks\n");
   }
 
@@ -735,6 +734,13 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
     wait_nfapi_init("main?");
   }
 
+  // wait for F1 Setup Response before starting L1 for real
+  if (NODE_IS_DU(node_type) || NODE_IS_MONOLITHIC(node_type))
+    wait_f1_setup_response();
+
+  if (RC.nb_RU > 0)
+    start_NR_RU();
+
   if (RC.nb_nr_L1_inst > 0) {
     printf("wait RUs\n");
     wait_RUs();
diff --git a/executables/nr-softmodem.h b/executables/nr-softmodem.h
index 63a2391826..96b70d0f90 100644
--- a/executables/nr-softmodem.h
+++ b/executables/nr-softmodem.h
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ extern void kill_gNB_proc(int inst);
 // In nr-ru.c
 extern void init_NR_RU(char *);
 extern void init_RU_proc(RU_t *ru);
+extern void start_NR_RU(void);
 extern void stop_RU(int nb_ru);
 extern void kill_NR_RU_proc(int inst);
 extern void set_function_spec_param(RU_t *ru);
diff --git a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
index e395c4c866..e996f70c48 100644
--- a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
+++ b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.c
@@ -2039,6 +2039,26 @@ int RC_config_trigger_F1Setup()
   return 0;
 }
 
+void wait_f1_setup_response(void)
+{
+  gNB_MAC_INST *mac = RC.nrmac[0];
+  NR_SCHED_LOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+  if (mac->f1_config.setup_resp != NULL) {
+    NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  LOG_W(GNB_APP, "waiting for F1 Setup Response before activating radio\n");
+
+  /* for the moment, we keep it simple and just sleep to periodically check.
+   * The actual check is protected by a mutex */
+  while (mac->f1_config.setup_resp == NULL) {
+    NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+    sleep(1);
+    NR_SCHED_LOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+  }
+  NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+}
 static bool check_plmn_identity(const f1ap_plmn_t *check_plmn, const f1ap_plmn_t *plmn)
 {
   return plmn->mcc == check_plmn->mcc && plmn->mnc_digit_length == check_plmn->mnc_digit_length && plmn->mnc == check_plmn->mnc;
diff --git a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.h b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.h
index 9d8a9487cb..55bc913d0f 100644
--- a/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.h
+++ b/openair2/GNB_APP/gnb_config.h
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ void RCconfig_NRRRC(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc);
 int RCconfig_NR_NG(MessageDef *msg_p, uint32_t i);
 int RCconfig_NR_X2(MessageDef *msg_p, uint32_t i);
 int RC_config_trigger_F1Setup(void);
+void wait_f1_setup_response(void);
 int gNB_app_handle_f1ap_gnb_cu_configuration_update(f1ap_gnb_cu_configuration_update_t *gnb_cu_cfg_update);
 MessageDef *RCconfig_NR_CU_E1(bool separate_CUUP_process);
 ngran_node_t get_node_type(void);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_rrc_dl_handler.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_rrc_dl_handler.c
index 6b341424b2..c6dfab563a 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_rrc_dl_handler.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_rrc_dl_handler.c
@@ -58,9 +58,13 @@ void f1_setup_response(const f1ap_setup_resp_t *resp)
 
   AssertFatal(cu_cell->num_SI == 0, "handling of CU-provided SIBs: not implemented\n");
 
-  NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
+  mac->f1_config.setup_resp = malloc(sizeof(*mac->f1_config.setup_resp));
+  AssertFatal(mac->f1_config.setup_resp != NULL, "out of memory\n");
+  *mac->f1_config.setup_resp = *resp;
+  if (resp->gNB_CU_name)
+    mac->f1_config.setup_resp->gNB_CU_name = strdup(resp->gNB_CU_name);
 
-  /* TODO: handling of pre-operational state? */
+  NR_SCHED_UNLOCK(&mac->sched_lock);
 }
 
 void f1_setup_failure(const f1ap_setup_failure_t *failure)