diff --git a/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_def.h b/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_def.h
index 18b16563d8..7c18378b2b 100644
--- a/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_def.h
+++ b/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_def.h
@@ -64,4 +64,5 @@ MESSAGE_DEF(F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_MODIFICATION_CONFIRM, MESSAGE_PRIORITY_MED, f1ap_ue_
 MESSAGE_DEF(F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_MODIFICATION_REFUSE, MESSAGE_PRIORITY_MED, f1ap_ue_context_modif_refuse_t, f1ap_ue_context_modification_refuse)
 
 /* CU -> DU*/
+MESSAGE_DEF(F1AP_PAGING, MESSAGE_PRIORITY_MED, f1ap_paging_t, f1ap_paging)
 MESSAGE_DEF(F1AP_PAGING_IND, MESSAGE_PRIORITY_MED, f1ap_paging_ind_t, f1ap_paging_ind)
diff --git a/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_types.h b/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_types.h
index 79cc178029..d2153f93be 100644
--- a/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_types.h
+++ b/openair2/COMMON/f1ap_messages_types.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
 #define F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMPLETE(mSGpTR)   (mSGpTR)->ittiMsg.f1ap_ue_context_release_complete
 
 #define F1AP_PAGING_IND(mSGpTR)                    (mSGpTR)->ittiMsg.f1ap_paging_ind
+#define F1AP_PAGING(mSGpTR)                        (mSGpTR)->ittiMsg.f1ap_paging
 
 /* Length of the transport layer address string
  * 160 bits / 8 bits by char.
diff --git a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.c b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.c
index 330264ffd2..840e205f53 100644
--- a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.c
+++ b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.c
@@ -34,87 +34,26 @@
 #include "f1ap_encoder.h"
 #include "f1ap_itti_messaging.h"
 #include "f1ap_cu_paging.h"
+#include "lib/f1ap_paging.h"
+#include "common/utils/ds/byte_array.h"
 
-extern f1ap_setup_req_t *f1ap_du_data_from_du;
-
-int CU_send_Paging(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, f1ap_paging_ind_t *paging)
+int CU_send_Paging(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, const f1ap_paging_t *paging)
 {
-  F1AP_F1AP_PDU_t pdu = {0};
-
-  pdu.present = F1AP_F1AP_PDU_PR_initiatingMessage;
-  asn1cCalloc(pdu.choice.initiatingMessage, msg);
-  msg->procedureCode = F1AP_ProcedureCode_id_Paging;
-  msg->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_reject;
-  msg->value.present = F1AP_InitiatingMessage__value_PR_Paging;
-
-  /* mandatory */
-  /* UEIdentityIndexValue */
-  {
-    asn1cSequenceAdd(msg->value.choice.Paging.protocolIEs.list,
-                     F1AP_PagingIEs_t, ie);
-    ie->id = F1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_UEIdentityIndexValue;
-    ie->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_reject;
-    ie->value.present = F1AP_PagingIEs__value_PR_UEIdentityIndexValue;
-    ie->value.choice.UEIdentityIndexValue.present =
-        F1AP_UEIdentityIndexValue_PR_indexLength10;
-    UEIDENTITYINDEX_TO_BIT_STRING(
-        paging->ueidentityindexvalue,
-        &ie->value.choice.UEIdentityIndexValue.choice.indexLength10);
-  }
-
-  /* mandatory */
-  /* PagingIdentity */
-  {
-    asn1cSequenceAdd(msg->value.choice.Paging.protocolIEs.list,
-                     F1AP_PagingIEs_t, ie);
-    ie->id = F1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_PagingIdentity;
-    ie->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_reject;
-    ie->value.present = F1AP_PagingIEs__value_PR_PagingIdentity;
-    ie->value.choice.PagingIdentity.present =
-        F1AP_PagingIdentity_PR_cNUEPagingIdentity;
-    asn1cCalloc(ie->value.choice.PagingIdentity.choice.cNUEPagingIdentity, id);
-    id->present = F1AP_CNUEPagingIdentity_PR_fiveG_S_TMSI;
-    FIVEG_S_TMSI_TO_BIT_STRING(paging->fiveg_s_tmsi, &id->choice.fiveG_S_TMSI);
-  }
-
-  /* optional */
-  /* PagingDRX */
-  {
-    asn1cSequenceAdd(msg->value.choice.Paging.protocolIEs.list,
-                     F1AP_PagingIEs_t, ie);
-    ie->id = F1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_PagingDRX;
-    ie->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_ignore;
-    ie->value.present = F1AP_PagingIEs__value_PR_PagingDRX;
-    ie->value.choice.PagingDRX = paging->paging_drx;
-  }
-
-  /* mandatory */
-  /* PagingCell_list */
-  {
-    asn1cSequenceAdd(msg->value.choice.Paging.protocolIEs.list,
-                     F1AP_PagingIEs_t, ie);
-    ie->id = F1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_PagingCell_List;
-    ie->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_reject;
-    ie->value.present = F1AP_PagingIEs__value_PR_PagingCell_list;
-    asn1cSequenceAdd(ie->value.choice.PagingCell_list,
-                     F1AP_PagingCell_ItemIEs_t, itemies);
-    itemies->id = F1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_PagingCell_Item;
-    itemies->criticality = F1AP_Criticality_reject;
-    itemies->value.present = F1AP_PagingCell_ItemIEs__value_PR_PagingCell_Item;
-    F1AP_NRCGI_t *nRCGI = &itemies->value.choice.PagingCell_Item.nRCGI;
-    MCC_MNC_TO_PLMNID(paging->plmn.mcc, paging->plmn.mnc, paging->plmn.mnc_digit_length, &nRCGI->pLMN_Identity);
-    NR_CELL_ID_TO_BIT_STRING(paging->nr_cellid, &nRCGI->nRCellIdentity);
-  }
-
-  uint8_t *buffer;
-  uint32_t len;
-  /* encode */
-  if (f1ap_encode_pdu(&pdu, &buffer, &len) < 0) {
-    LOG_E(F1AP, "Failed to encode F1 Paging failure\n");
-    ASN_STRUCT_FREE_CONTENTS_ONLY(asn_DEF_F1AP_F1AP_PDU, &pdu);
+  F1AP_F1AP_PDU_t *pdu = encode_f1ap_paging(paging);
+  if (pdu == NULL) {
+    LOG_E(F1AP, "Failed to encode F1 Paging\n");
     return -1;
   }
-  ASN_STRUCT_FREE_CONTENTS_ONLY(asn_DEF_F1AP_F1AP_PDU, &pdu);
-  f1ap_itti_send_sctp_data_req(assoc_id, buffer, len);
+
+  byte_array_t ba = {0};
+  /* encode */
+  if (f1ap_encode_pdu(pdu, &ba.buf, (uint32_t *)&ba.len) < 0) {
+    LOG_E(F1AP, "Failed to encode F1 Paging PDU\n");
+    ASN_STRUCT_FREE(asn_DEF_F1AP_F1AP_PDU, pdu);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  ASN_STRUCT_FREE(asn_DEF_F1AP_F1AP_PDU, pdu);
+  /* Ownership of ba.buf is transferred to SCTP task; do not free here. */
+  f1ap_itti_send_sctp_data_req(assoc_id, ba.buf, ba.len);
   return 0;
 }
diff --git a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.h b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.h
index 4029d27312..ff2f6863c9 100644
--- a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.h
+++ b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_paging.h
@@ -32,5 +32,5 @@
 
 #ifndef F1AP_CU_PAGING_H_
 #define F1AP_CU_PAGING_H_
-int CU_send_Paging(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, f1ap_paging_ind_t *paging);
+int CU_send_Paging(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, const f1ap_paging_t *paging);
 #endif /* F1AP_DU_PAGING_H_ */
diff --git a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
index b7d19b7a6a..ff7264d1a4 100644
--- a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
+++ b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
@@ -202,9 +202,8 @@ void *F1AP_CU_task(void *arg) {
         free_ue_context_rel_cmd(&F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD(received_msg));
         break;
 
-      case F1AP_PAGING_IND:
-        CU_send_Paging(assoc_id,
-                       &F1AP_PAGING_IND(received_msg));
+      case F1AP_PAGING:
+        CU_send_Paging(assoc_id, &F1AP_PAGING(received_msg));
         break;
 
       case F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_MODIFICATION_CONFIRM: