diff --git a/executables/nr-softmodem.c b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
index a1a97373e8..392ff166da 100644
--- a/executables/nr-softmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-softmodem.c
@@ -405,8 +405,13 @@ static int create_gNB_tasks(ngran_node_t node_type)
       instance_t inst = 0;
       createE1inst(UPtype, inst, &E1AP_REGISTER_REQ(msg).net_config, NULL);
       cuup_init_n3(inst);
-      itti_free(TASK_UNKNOWN, msg);
       RC.nrrrc[gnb_id_start]->e1_inst = inst; // stupid instance !!!*/
+
+      /* send E1 Setup Request to RRC */
+      MessageDef *new_msg = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_GNB_APP, 0, E1AP_SETUP_REQ);
+      E1AP_SETUP_REQ(new_msg) = E1AP_REGISTER_REQ(msg).setup_req;
+      itti_send_msg_to_task(TASK_RRC_GNB, 0 /*unused by callee*/, new_msg);
+      itti_free(TASK_UNKNOWN, msg);
     }
 
     //Use check on x2ap to consider the NSA scenario 
diff --git a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
index 6d4b539ffb..a9dacd9ac2 100644
--- a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
+++ b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
@@ -305,15 +305,14 @@ void extract_SETUP_REQUEST(const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu,
 int e1apCUCP_handle_SETUP_REQUEST(e1ap_upcp_inst_t *inst, const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu)
 {
   DevAssert(pdu != NULL);
-  extract_SETUP_REQUEST(pdu, &inst->setupReq);
   /* Create ITTI message and send to queue */
   MessageDef *msg_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_CUCP_E1, 0 /*unused by callee*/, E1AP_SETUP_REQ);
-  memcpy(&E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p), &inst->setupReq, sizeof(e1ap_setup_req_t));
+  extract_SETUP_REQUEST(pdu, &E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p));
 
-  if (inst->setupReq.supported_plmns > 0) {
+  if (E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p).supported_plmns > 0) {
     itti_send_msg_to_task(TASK_RRC_GNB, 0 /*unused by callee*/, msg_p);
   } else {
-    e1apCUCP_send_SETUP_FAILURE(inst->assoc_id, inst->setupReq.transac_id);
+    e1apCUCP_send_SETUP_FAILURE(inst->assoc_id, E1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p).transac_id);
     itti_free(TASK_CUCP_E1, msg_p);
     return -1;
   }
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_defs.h b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_defs.h
index a31747a415..845e4337aa 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_defs.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/nr_rrc_defs.h
@@ -371,6 +371,10 @@ typedef struct nr_rrc_du_container_t {
   NR_SIB1_t *sib1;
 } nr_rrc_du_container_t;
 
+typedef struct nr_rrc_cuup_container_t {
+  e1ap_setup_req_t *setup_req;
+} nr_rrc_cuup_container_t;
+
 //---NR---(completely change)---------------------
 typedef struct gNB_RRC_INST_s {
 
@@ -400,6 +404,7 @@ typedef struct gNB_RRC_INST_s {
   cucp_cuup_if_t cucp_cuup;
 
   nr_rrc_du_container_t *du;
+  nr_rrc_cuup_container_t *cuup;
 
 } gNB_RRC_INST;
 
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
index aaf28c9025..ace4a5f62d 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_cuup.c
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ int rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(e1ap_setup_req_t *req)
 {
   AssertFatal(req->supported_plmns <= PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE, "Supported PLMNs is more than PLMN_LIST_MAX_SIZE\n");
   gNB_RRC_INST *rrc = RC.nrrrc[0];
+  AssertFatal(rrc->cuup == NULL, "cannot handle multiple CU-UPs\n");
 
 
   for (int i = 0; i < req->supported_plmns; i++) {
@@ -41,6 +42,11 @@ int rrc_gNB_process_e1_setup_req(e1ap_setup_req_t *req)
     }
   }
 
+  LOG_I(RRC, "Accepting new CU-UP ID %ld name %s\n", req->gNB_cu_up_id, req->gNB_cu_up_name);
+  rrc->cuup = malloc(sizeof(*rrc->cuup));
+  AssertFatal(rrc->cuup, "out of memory\n");
+  rrc->cuup->setup_req = malloc(sizeof(*rrc->cuup->setup_req));
+  *rrc->cuup->setup_req = *req;
 
   MessageDef *msg_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_GNB, 0, E1AP_SETUP_RESP);
   e1ap_setup_resp_t *resp = &E1AP_SETUP_RESP(msg_p);