diff --git a/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.c b/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.c
index 850f97150a..a2762d08e8 100644
--- a/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.c
+++ b/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.c
@@ -178,12 +178,15 @@ int emm_proc_authentication_request(nas_user_t *user, int native_ksi, int ksi,
   OctetString ik = {AUTH_IK_SIZE, authentication_data->ik};
   OctetString res = {AUTH_RES_SIZE, authentication_data->res};
 
-  if (memcmp(authentication_data->rand, rand->value, AUTH_CK_SIZE) != 0) {
+  if ((memcmp(authentication_data->rand, rand->value, AUTH_CK_SIZE) != 0) ||
+      (authentication_data->auth_process_started == FALSE)) {
     /*
      * There is no valid stored RAND in the ME or the stored RAND is
      * different from the new received value in the AUTHENTICATION
-     * REQUEST message
+     * REQUEST message OR if this is first time UE starting the
+     * Authentication process
      */
+	authentication_data->auth_process_started = TRUE;
     OctetString auts;
     auts.length = 0;
     auts.value = (uint8_t *)malloc(AUTH_AUTS_SIZE);
diff --git a/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.h b/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.h
index 50b2d990aa..466d3256f3 100644
--- a/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.h
+++ b/openair3/NAS/UE/EMM/Authentication.h
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ typedef struct {
   unsigned char mac_count:2;  /* MAC failure counter (#20)        */
   unsigned char umts_count:2; /* UMTS challenge failure counter (#26) */
   unsigned char sync_count:2; /* Sync failure counter (#21)       */
+  unsigned char auth_process_started:1; /* Authentication started */
+  unsigned char reserve:1;    /* For future use, byte aligned */
 } authentication_data_t;
 
 #endif