diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
index e43123b55c..3e738db42a 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_RA.c
@@ -2435,8 +2435,9 @@ void nr_schedule_RA(module_id_t module_idP,
         ra->contention_resolution_timer--;
         if (ra->contention_resolution_timer < 0) {
           LOG_W(NR_MAC, "(%d.%d) RA Contention Resolution timer expired for UE 0x%04x, RA procedure failed...\n", frameP, slotP, ra->rnti);
-          nr_mac_release_ue(mac, ra->rnti);
-          nr_mac_trigger_release_complete(mac, ra->rnti);
+          bool requested = nr_mac_request_release_ue(mac, ra->rnti);
+          if (!requested)
+            nr_mac_release_ue(mac, ra->rnti);
           nr_clear_ra_proc(ra);
           continue;
         }
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
index 7ac6d28fb8..5930ef7f44 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
@@ -3302,7 +3302,27 @@ void nr_mac_reset_ul_failure(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl)
   sched_ctrl->pusch_consecutive_dtx_cnt = 0;
 }
 
-void nr_mac_check_ul_failure(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti, NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl)
+/* \brief trigger a release request towards the CU.
+ * \returns true if release was requested, else false (in which case the CU
+ * does not know the UE, and we can safely remove it). */
+bool nr_mac_request_release_ue(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti)
+{
+  if (!du_exists_f1_ue_data(rnti)) {
+    LOG_W(NR_MAC, "UE %04x: no CU-UE ID stored, cannot request release\n", rnti);
+    return false;
+  }
+  f1_ue_data_t ue_data = du_get_f1_ue_data(rnti);
+  f1ap_ue_context_release_req_t request = {
+    .gNB_CU_ue_id = ue_data.secondary_ue,
+    .gNB_DU_ue_id = rnti,
+    .cause = F1AP_CAUSE_RADIO_NETWORK,
+    .cause_value = F1AP_CauseRadioNetwork_rl_failure_others,
+  };
+  nrmac->mac_rrc.ue_context_release_request(&request);
+  return true;
+}
+
+void nr_mac_check_ul_failure(gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti, NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl)
 {
   if (!sched_ctrl->ul_failure)
     return;
@@ -3312,14 +3332,9 @@ void nr_mac_check_ul_failure(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti, NR_UE_sched_ct
    * stop at 0 and we wait for a UE release command from upper layers */
   if (sched_ctrl->ul_failure_timer == 1) {
     LOG_W(MAC, "UE %04x: request release after UL failure timer expiry\n", rnti);
-    f1_ue_data_t ue_data = du_get_f1_ue_data(rnti);
-    f1ap_ue_context_release_req_t request = {
-      .gNB_CU_ue_id = ue_data.secondary_ue,
-      .gNB_DU_ue_id = rnti,
-      .cause = F1AP_CAUSE_RADIO_NETWORK,
-      .cause_value = F1AP_CauseRadioNetwork_rl_failure_others,
-    };
-    nrmac->mac_rrc.ue_context_release_request(&request);
+    bool requested = nr_mac_request_release_ue(nrmac, rnti);
+    if (!requested)
+      nr_mac_release_ue(nrmac, rnti);
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
index a75b9c0f60..c5df1782fd 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
@@ -464,10 +464,11 @@ void nr_mac_trigger_release_timer(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl, NR_SubcarrierS
 bool nr_mac_check_release(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl, int rnti);
 void nr_mac_trigger_release_complete(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, int rnti);
 void nr_mac_release_ue(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, int rnti);
+bool nr_mac_request_release_ue(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti);
 
 void nr_mac_trigger_ul_failure(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl, NR_SubcarrierSpacing_t subcarrier_spacing);
 void nr_mac_reset_ul_failure(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl);
-void nr_mac_check_ul_failure(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti, NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl);
+void nr_mac_check_ul_failure(gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, int rnti, NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl);
 
 void nr_mac_trigger_reconfiguration(const gNB_MAC_INST *nrmac, const NR_UE_info_t *UE);