diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/config_ue.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/config_ue.c
index 19a799dab6..eea5a56abc 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/config_ue.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/config_ue.c
@@ -872,6 +872,8 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_mib(module_id_t module_id,
                                int sched_sib)
 {
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
   AssertFatal(mib, "MIB should not be NULL\n");
   if (!mac->mib)
     mac->mib = calloc(1, sizeof(*mac->mib));
@@ -883,6 +885,7 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_mib(module_id_t module_id,
   else if (sched_sib == 2)
     mac->get_otherSI = true;
   nr_ue_decode_mib(mac, cc_idP);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 }
 
 static void setup_puschpowercontrol(NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac, NR_PUSCH_PowerControl_t *source, NR_PUSCH_PowerControl_t *target)
@@ -1611,6 +1614,8 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_reset(module_id_t module_id,
                                  NR_UE_MAC_reset_cause_t cause)
 {
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
   fapi_nr_synch_request_t sync_req = {.target_Nid_cell = -1, .ssb_bw_scan = true};
   switch (cause) {
     case GO_TO_IDLE:
@@ -1649,6 +1654,7 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_reset(module_id_t module_id,
     default:
       AssertFatal(false, "Invalid MAC reset cause %d\n", cause);
   }
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 }
 
 static int get_ta_offset(long *n_TimingAdvanceOffset)
@@ -1676,6 +1682,8 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_sib1(module_id_t module_id,
                                 NR_ServingCellConfigCommonSIB_t *scc)
 {
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
   AssertFatal(scc, "SIB1 SCC should not be NULL\n");
 
   UPDATE_IE(mac->tdd_UL_DL_ConfigurationCommon, scc->tdd_UL_DL_ConfigurationCommon, NR_TDD_UL_DL_ConfigCommon_t);
@@ -1708,6 +1716,7 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_sib1(module_id_t module_id,
 
   if (!get_softmodem_params()->emulate_l1)
     mac->if_module->phy_config_request(&mac->phy_config);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 }
 
 void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_sib19_r17(module_id_t module_id,
@@ -2518,8 +2527,10 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_cg(module_id_t module_id,
                               NR_UE_NR_Capability_t *ue_Capability)
 {
   LOG_I(MAC,"[UE %d] Applying CellGroupConfig from gNodeB\n", module_id);
-  AssertFatal(cell_group_config, "CellGroupConfig should not be NULL\n");
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
+  AssertFatal(cell_group_config, "CellGroupConfig should not be NULL\n");
 
   if (cell_group_config->physicalCellGroupConfig)
     configure_physicalcellgroup(mac, cell_group_config->physicalCellGroupConfig);
@@ -2562,4 +2573,5 @@ void nr_rrc_mac_config_req_cg(module_id_t module_id,
 
   if (!mac->dl_config_request || !mac->ul_config_request)
     ue_init_config_request(mac, mac->current_DL_BWP->scs);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 }
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_defs.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_defs.h
index ffa09ccb25..426d8f88d1 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_defs.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/mac_defs.h
@@ -617,6 +617,7 @@ typedef struct NR_UE_MAC_INST_s {
   int f_b_f_c;
   bool pusch_power_control_initialized;
   int delta_msg2;
+  pthread_mutex_t if_mutex;
 } NR_UE_MAC_INST_t;
 
 /*@}*/
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
index a60d8d2c43..7dfe198547 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_UE/main_ue_nr.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ void nr_ue_init_mac(NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac)
   mac->p_Max = INT_MIN;
   mac->p_Max_alt = INT_MIN;
   mac->n_ta_offset = -1;
+  pthread_mutex_init(&mac->if_mutex, NULL);
   reset_mac_inst(mac);
 
   // need to inizialize because might not been setup (optional timer)
diff --git a/openair2/NR_UE_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c b/openair2/NR_UE_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
index c4faefa0fa..7b00b1bca2 100644
--- a/openair2/NR_UE_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
+++ b/openair2/NR_UE_PHY_INTERFACE/NR_IF_Module.c
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@ queue_t nr_dl_tti_req_queue;
 queue_t nr_tx_req_queue;
 queue_t nr_ul_dci_req_queue;
 queue_t nr_ul_tti_req_queue;
-pthread_mutex_t mac_IF_mutex;
 static void save_pdsch_pdu_for_crnti(nfapi_nr_dl_tti_request_t *dl_tti_request);
 
 void nrue_init_standalone_socket(int tx_port, int rx_port)
@@ -1141,18 +1140,17 @@ void update_harq_status(NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac, uint8_t harq_pid, uint8_t ack_nac
 
 int nr_ue_ul_indication(nr_uplink_indication_t *ul_info)
 {
-  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac_IF_mutex);
-  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
-  LOG_D(PHY, "Locked in ul, slot %d\n", ul_info->slot);
-
   module_id_t module_id = ul_info->module_id;
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
+  LOG_D(PHY, "Locked in ul, slot %d\n", ul_info->slot);
 
   LOG_T(NR_MAC, "Not calling scheduler mac->ra.ra_state = %d\n", mac->ra.ra_state);
 
   if (is_nr_UL_slot(mac->tdd_UL_DL_ConfigurationCommon, ul_info->slot, mac->frame_type))
     nr_ue_ul_scheduler(mac, ul_info);
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac_IF_mutex);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 
   return 0;
 }
@@ -1264,26 +1262,26 @@ static uint32_t nr_ue_dl_processing(nr_downlink_indication_t *dl_info)
 
 int nr_ue_dl_indication(nr_downlink_indication_t *dl_info)
 {
-  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac_IF_mutex);
-  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
   uint32_t ret2 = 0;
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(dl_info->module_id);
+  int ret = pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
+  AssertFatal(!ret, "mutex failed %d\n", ret);
   if (!dl_info->dci_ind && !dl_info->rx_ind)
     // DL indication to process DCI reception
     nr_ue_dl_scheduler(mac, dl_info);
   else
     // DL indication to process data channels
     ret2 = nr_ue_dl_processing(dl_info);
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac_IF_mutex);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
   return ret2;
 }
 
 void nr_ue_slot_indication(uint8_t mod_id)
 {
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&mac_IF_mutex);
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac = get_mac_inst(mod_id);
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&mac->if_mutex);
   update_mac_timers(mac);
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac_IF_mutex);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&mac->if_mutex);
 }
 
 nr_ue_if_module_t *nr_ue_if_module_init(uint32_t module_id)
@@ -1309,7 +1307,6 @@ nr_ue_if_module_t *nr_ue_if_module_init(uint32_t module_id)
     nr_ue_if_module_inst[module_id]->ul_indication = nr_ue_ul_indication;
     nr_ue_if_module_inst[module_id]->slot_indication = nr_ue_slot_indication;
   }
-  pthread_mutex_init(&mac_IF_mutex, NULL);
 
   return nr_ue_if_module_inst[module_id];
 }