diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
index 9395670759..bc099d2474 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_dlsch.c
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@
 /*TAG*/
 #include "NR_TAG-Id.h"
 
+/*Softmodem params*/
+#include "executables/softmodem-common.h"
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /////* DLSCH MAC PDU generation (6.1.2 TS 38.321) */////
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
@@ -439,6 +442,8 @@ void nr_schedule_ue_spec(module_id_t module_id,
                                                               lcid,
                                                               0,
                                                               0);
+  if (rlc_status.bytes_in_buffer == 0 && !get_softmodem_params()->phy_test)
+    return;
   LOG_D(MAC,
         "%d.%d, DTCH%d->DLSCH, RLC status %d bytes\n",
         frame,
@@ -575,8 +580,8 @@ void nr_schedule_ue_spec(module_id_t module_id,
 
     //ue_sched_ctl->uplane_inactivity_timer = 0;
   }
-  else {
-    LOG_I(MAC, "Configuring DL_TX in %d.%d: random data\n", frame, slot);
+  else if (get_softmodem_params()->phy_test) {
+    LOG_D(MAC, "Configuring DL_TX in %d.%d: random data\n", frame, slot);
     // fill dlsch_buffer with random data
     for (int i = 0; i < TBS; i++)
       mac_sdus[i] = (unsigned char) (lrand48()&0xff);