diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
index 77202018e9..31a86c3144 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_proto.h
@@ -74,6 +74,8 @@ int parse_CG_ConfigInfo(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, NR_CG_ConfigInfo_t *CG_ConfigInfo, x2
 
 void rrc_gNB_generate_SecurityModeCommand(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue_p);
 
+void rrc_forward_ue_nas_message(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE);
+
 unsigned int rrc_gNB_get_next_transaction_identifier(module_id_t gnb_mod_idP);
 
 void
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index 19b36929f8..a4b4a427d7 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -1372,7 +1372,7 @@ static int handle_rrcReestablishmentComplete(const protocol_ctxt_t *const ctxt_p
   return 0;
 }
 
-static void rrc_forward_ue_nas_message(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE)
+void rrc_forward_ue_nas_message(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE)
 {
   if (UE->nas_pdu.buffer == NULL || UE->nas_pdu.length == 0)
     return; // no problem: the UE will re-request a NAS PDU
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
index 261a16cec3..6afa5a5244 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_NGAP.c
@@ -620,11 +620,9 @@ static void set_UE_security_algos(const gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE, con
 int rrc_gNB_process_NGAP_DOWNLINK_NAS(MessageDef *msg_p, instance_t instance, mui_t *rrc_gNB_mui)
 //------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 {
-  uint32_t length;
-  uint8_t buffer[4096];
-  protocol_ctxt_t ctxt = {0};
   ngap_downlink_nas_t *req = &NGAP_DOWNLINK_NAS(msg_p);
-  rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p = rrc_gNB_get_ue_context(RC.nrrrc[instance], req->gNB_ue_ngap_id);
+  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[instance];
+  rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p = rrc_gNB_get_ue_context(rrc, req->gNB_ue_ngap_id);
 
   if (ue_context_p == NULL) {
     /* Can not associate this message to an UE index, send a failure to NGAP and discard it! */
@@ -641,22 +639,8 @@ int rrc_gNB_process_NGAP_DOWNLINK_NAS(MessageDef *msg_p, instance_t instance, mu
   }
 
   gNB_RRC_UE_t *UE = &ue_context_p->ue_context;
-  PROTOCOL_CTXT_SET_BY_INSTANCE(&ctxt, instance, GNB_FLAG_YES, UE->rrc_ue_id, 0, 0);
-
-  /* Create message for PDCP (DLInformationTransfer_t) */
-  length = do_NR_DLInformationTransfer(buffer,
-                                       sizeof(buffer),
-                                       rrc_gNB_get_next_transaction_identifier(instance),
-                                       req->nas_pdu.length,
-                                       req->nas_pdu.buffer);
-  LOG_DUMPMSG(NR_RRC, DEBUG_RRC, buffer, length, "[MSG] RRC DL Information Transfer\n");
-  /*
-   * switch UL or DL NAS message without RRC piggybacked to SRB2 if active.
-   */
-  AssertFatal(!NODE_IS_DU(RC.nrrrc[ctxt.module_id]->node_type), "illegal node type DU: receiving NGAP messages at this node\n");
-  /* Transfer data to PDCP */
-  rb_id_t srb_id = UE->Srb[2].Active ? DCCH1 : DCCH;
-  nr_rrc_transfer_protected_rrc_message(RC.nrrrc[instance], UE, srb_id, buffer, length);
+  UE->nas_pdu = req->nas_pdu;
+  rrc_forward_ue_nas_message(rrc, UE);
   return 0;
 }