diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index 42e3940aeb..62f831461d 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -1558,6 +1558,17 @@ rrc_gNB_generate_RRCRelease(
     rrc_gNB_mui,
     size);
 
+#ifdef ITTI_SIM
+    MessageDef *message_p;
+    uint8_t *message_buffer;
+    message_buffer = itti_malloc (TASK_RRC_GNB_SIM, TASK_RRC_UE_SIM, size);
+    memcpy (message_buffer, buffer, size);
+    message_p = itti_alloc_new_message (TASK_RRC_GNB_SIM, GNB_RRC_DCCH_DATA_IND);
+    GNB_RRC_DCCH_DATA_IND (message_p).rbid = DCCH;
+    GNB_RRC_DCCH_DATA_IND (message_p).sdu = message_buffer;
+    GNB_RRC_DCCH_DATA_IND (message_p).size  = size;
+    itti_send_msg_to_task (TASK_RRC_UE_SIM, ctxt_pP->instance, message_p);
+#else
   if (NODE_IS_CU(RC.rrc[ctxt_pP->module_id]->node_type)) {
     MessageDef *m = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_ENB, F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD);
     F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD(m).rnti = ctxt_pP->rnti;
@@ -1575,4 +1586,5 @@ rrc_gNB_generate_RRCRelease(
                  buffer,
                  PDCP_TRANSMISSION_MODE_CONTROL);
   }
+#endif
 }
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
index 0e3c59d02e..509982df81 100755
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR_UE/rrc_UE.c
@@ -2308,6 +2308,9 @@ nr_rrc_ue_decode_dcch(
 
             case NR_DL_DCCH_MessageType__c1_PR_rrcResume:
             case NR_DL_DCCH_MessageType__c1_PR_rrcRelease:
+              LOG_I(NR_RRC, "[UE %d] Received RRC Release (gNB %d)\n",
+                      ctxt_pP->module_id, gNB_indexP);
+
               msg_p = itti_alloc_new_message(TASK_RRC_UE, NAS_CONN_RELEASE_IND);
 
               if((dl_dcch_msg->message.choice.c1->choice.rrcRelease->criticalExtensions.present == NR_RRCRelease__criticalExtensions_PR_rrcRelease) &&