diff --git a/executables/nr-softmodem-common.h b/executables/nr-softmodem-common.h
index 22b616f29e..45d7852adc 100644
--- a/executables/nr-softmodem-common.h
+++ b/executables/nr-softmodem-common.h
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@
 #define CONFIG_HLP_NOTWAIT       "don't wait for tracer, start immediately\n"
 #define CONFIG_HLP_TNOFORK       "to ease debugging with gdb\n"
 #define CONFIG_HLP_DISABLNBIOT   "disable nb-iot, even if defined in config\n"
-#define CONFIG_HLP_DISABLETIMECORR   "disable UE timing correction\n"
+#define CONFIG_HLP_DISABLETIMECORR "disable UE timing correction\n"
 #define CONFIG_HLP_RRC_CFG_PATH  "path for RRC configuration\n"
-#define CONFIG_HLP_UECAP_PATH    "path for UE Capabilities file\n"
+#define CONFIG_HLP_UECAP_FILE    "path for UE Capabilities file\n"
 
 #define CONFIG_HLP_NUMEROLOGY    "adding numerology for 5G\n"
 #define CONFIG_HLP_EMULATE_RF    "Emulated RF enabled(disable by defult)\n"
diff --git a/executables/nr-ue.c b/executables/nr-ue.c
index 03ae537e04..23846b70fc 100644
--- a/executables/nr-ue.c
+++ b/executables/nr-ue.c
@@ -757,14 +757,14 @@ void *UE_thread(void *arg) {
 }
 
 void init_NR_UE(int nb_inst,
-                char* uecap_path,
+                char* uecap_file,
                 char* rrc_config_path) {
   int inst;
   NR_UE_MAC_INST_t *mac_inst;
   NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* rrc_inst;
   
   for (inst=0; inst < nb_inst; inst++) {
-    AssertFatal((rrc_inst = nr_l3_init_ue(uecap_path,rrc_config_path)) != NULL, "can not initialize RRC module\n");
+    AssertFatal((rrc_inst = nr_l3_init_ue(uecap_file,rrc_config_path)) != NULL, "can not initialize RRC module\n");
     AssertFatal((mac_inst = nr_l2_init_ue(rrc_inst)) != NULL, "can not initialize L2 module\n");
     AssertFatal((mac_inst->if_module = nr_ue_if_module_init(inst)) != NULL, "can not initialize IF module\n");
   }
diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
index 6deca88eb8..c63b553fce 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ int                 vcdflag = 0;
 double          rx_gain_off = 0.0;
 char             *usrp_args = NULL;
 char       *rrc_config_path = NULL;
-char            *uecap_path = NULL;
+char            *uecap_file = NULL;
 int               dumpframe = 0;
 
 uint64_t        downlink_frequency[MAX_NUM_CCs][4];
@@ -148,8 +148,6 @@ int            numerology = 0;
 int           oaisim_flag = 0;
 int            emulate_rf = 0;
 uint32_t       N_RB_DL    = 106;
-char         uecap_xer_in = 0;
-char         uecap_xer[1024];
 
 /* see file openair2/LAYER2/MAC/main.c for why abstraction_flag is needed
  * this is very hackish - find a proper solution
@@ -254,14 +252,6 @@ static void get_options(void) {
 
   if (vcdflag > 0)
     ouput_vcd = 1;
-
-  if ( !(CONFIG_ISFLAGSET(CONFIG_ABORT))  && (!(CONFIG_ISFLAGSET(CONFIG_NOOOPT))) ) {
-    // Here the configuration file is the XER encoded UE capabilities
-    // Read it in and store in asn1c data structures
-    sprintf(uecap_xer,"%stargets/PROJECTS/GENERIC-LTE-EPC/CONF/UE_config.xml",getenv("OPENAIR_HOME"));
-    printf("%s\n",uecap_xer);
-    uecap_xer_in=1;
-  } /* UE with config file  */
 }
 
 // set PHY vars from command line
@@ -439,7 +429,7 @@ int main( int argc, char **argv ) {
 #endif
   LOG_I(HW, "Version: %s\n", PACKAGE_VERSION);
 
-  init_NR_UE(1,uecap_path,rrc_config_path);
+  init_NR_UE(1,uecap_file,rrc_config_path);
   if(IS_SOFTMODEM_NOS1 || get_softmodem_params()->sa)
 	  init_pdcp();
 
diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
index 0def34dd39..0cb7c072a0 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     {"offset-divisor",           CONFIG_HLP_OFFSET_DIV,  0,               uptr:(uint32_t *)&nrUE_params.ofdm_offset_divisor,    defuintval:UINT_MAX,           TYPE_UINT32,  0}, \
     {"nr-dlsch-demod-shift",     CONFIG_HLP_DLSHIFT,     0,               iptr:(int32_t *)&nr_dlsch_demod_shift,    defintval:0,     TYPE_INT,    0}, \
     {"V" ,                       CONFIG_HLP_VCD,         PARAMFLAG_BOOL,  iptr:&vcdflag,                      defintval:0,     TYPE_INT,    0}, \
-    {"uecap_path",               CONFIG_HLP_UECAP_PATH,  0,               strptr:(char **)&uecap_path,        defstrval:"./",  TYPE_STRING, 0}, \
+    {"uecap_file",               CONFIG_HLP_UECAP_FILE,  0,               strptr:(char **)&uecap_file,        defstrval:"./",  TYPE_STRING, 0}, \
     {"rrc_config_path",          CONFIG_HLP_RRC_CFG_PATH,0,               strptr:(char **)&rrc_config_path,   defstrval:"./",  TYPE_STRING, 0}  \
 }
 
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
index f2868e9c97..93e7e0b8fe 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ void process_nsa_message(NR_UE_RRC_INST_t *rrc, nsa_message_t nsa_message_type,
 
 }
 
-NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* openair_rrc_top_init_ue_nr(char* uecap_path, char* rrc_config_path){
+NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* openair_rrc_top_init_ue_nr(char* uecap_file, char* rrc_config_path){
   int nr_ue;
   if(NB_NR_UE_INST > 0){
     NR_UE_rrc_inst = (NR_UE_RRC_INST_t *)malloc(NB_NR_UE_INST * sizeof(NR_UE_RRC_INST_t));
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ NR_UE_RRC_INST_t* openair_rrc_top_init_ue_nr(char* uecap_path, char* rrc_config_
       RRC_LIST_INIT(NR_UE_rrc_inst[nr_ue].CSI_ReportConfig_list, NR_maxNrofCSI_ReportConfigurations);
     }
 
-    NR_UE_rrc_inst->uecap_path = uecap_path;
+    NR_UE_rrc_inst->uecap_file = uecap_file;
 
     if (get_softmodem_params()->phy_test==1 || get_softmodem_params()->do_ra==1) {
       // read in files for RRCReconfiguration and RBconfig
@@ -2634,13 +2634,6 @@ nr_rrc_ue_process_ueCapabilityEnquiry(
         ctxt_pP->frame,
         gNB_index);
 
-  FILE *f = NULL;
-  char *file_path = NR_UE_rrc_inst[ctxt_pP->module_id].uecap_path;
-  if (file_path) {
-    sprintf(UE_NR_Capability_xer_fname,"%s/uecap.xml",file_path);
-    f = fopen(UE_NR_Capability_xer_fname, "r");
-  }
-
   memset((void *)&ul_dcch_msg,0,sizeof(NR_UL_DCCH_Message_t));
   memset((void *)&ue_CapabilityRAT_Container,0,sizeof(NR_UE_CapabilityRAT_Container_t));
   ul_dcch_msg.message.present            = NR_UL_DCCH_MessageType_PR_c1;
@@ -2651,6 +2644,13 @@ nr_rrc_ue_process_ueCapabilityEnquiry(
   ue_CapabilityRAT_Container.rat_Type = NR_RAT_Type_nr;
   NR_UE_NR_Capability_t* UE_Capability_nr = NULL;
 
+  FILE *f = NULL;
+  char *file_path = NR_UE_rrc_inst[ctxt_pP->module_id].uecap_file;
+  if (file_path) {
+    sprintf(UE_NR_Capability_xer_fname,"%s",file_path);
+    f = fopen(UE_NR_Capability_xer_fname, "r");
+  }
+
   if(f){
     size = fread(UE_NR_Capability_xer, 1, sizeof UE_NR_Capability_xer, f);
     if (size == 0 || size == sizeof UE_NR_Capability_xer) {
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_defs.h b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_defs.h
index d623481c81..3aa98951f2 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_defs.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_defs.h
@@ -120,15 +120,15 @@ typedef struct NR_UE_RRC_INST_s {
     NR_DRB_ToAddMod_t              *DRB_config[NB_CNX_UE][8];
     rb_id_t                        *defaultDRB; // remember the ID of the default DRB
 
-    char *uecap_path;
+    char                           *uecap_file;
 
-    NR_SRB_INFO Srb0[NB_SIG_CNX_UE];
+    NR_SRB_INFO                    Srb0[NB_SIG_CNX_UE];
     NR_SRB_INFO_TABLE_ENTRY        Srb1[NB_CNX_UE];
     NR_SRB_INFO_TABLE_ENTRY        Srb2[NB_CNX_UE];
 
     uint8_t                        MBMS_flag;
     OAI_NR_UECapability_t          *UECap;
-    uint8_t 					             *UECapability;
+    uint8_t 			   *UECapability;
     uint8_t                        UECapability_size;
 
     RA_trigger_t                   ra_trigger;