diff --git a/openair1/PHY/NR_TRANSPORT/nr_dci_tools.c b/openair1/PHY/NR_TRANSPORT/nr_dci_tools.c
index 02ecfc4404..828462ff0f 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/NR_TRANSPORT/nr_dci_tools.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/NR_TRANSPORT/nr_dci_tools.c
@@ -122,7 +122,11 @@ void nr_fill_cce_list(PHY_VARS_gNB *gNB, uint8_t m) {
 
   nr_cce_t* cce;
   nr_reg_t* reg;
-  nfapi_nr_dl_tti_pdcch_pdu_rel15_t* pdcch_pdu_rel15 = &gNB->pdcch_pdu->pdcch_pdu_rel15;
+  nfapi_nr_dl_tti_pdcch_pdu_rel15_t* pdcch_pdu_rel15;
+  if (gNB->pdcch_pdu != NULL)
+    pdcch_pdu_rel15 = &gNB->pdcch_pdu->pdcch_pdu_rel15;
+  else
+    pdcch_pdu_rel15 = &gNB->ul_dci_pdu->pdcch_pdu.pdcch_pdu_rel15;
   int bsize = pdcch_pdu_rel15->RegBundleSize;
   int R = pdcch_pdu_rel15->InterleaverSize;
   int n_shift = pdcch_pdu_rel15->ShiftIndex;
@@ -251,7 +255,7 @@ void nr_fill_ul_dci(PHY_VARS_gNB *gNB,
     //uint64_t *dci_pdu = (uint64_t*)pdcch_pdu_rel15->dci_pdu.Payload[i];
 
     // if there's no DL DCI then generate CCE list
-    if (gNB->pdcch_pdu) nr_fill_cce_list(gNB,0);  
+    nr_fill_cce_list(gNB,0);  
     /*
     LOG_D(PHY, "DCI PDU: [0]->0x%lx \t [1]->0x%lx \n",dci_pdu[0], dci_pdu[1]);
     LOG_D(PHY, "DCI type %d payload (size %d) generated on candidate %d\n", dci_alloc->pdcch_params.dci_format, dci_alloc->size, cand_idx);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
index b5f0a48fc2..bacb279c92 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_phytest.c
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ void nr_schedule_uss_dlsch_phytest(module_id_t   module_idP,
 
 }
 
-uint8_t select_ul_harq_pid(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl) {
+int8_t select_ul_harq_pid(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl) {
 
   uint8_t hrq_id;
   uint8_t max_ul_harq_pids = 3; // temp: for testing
@@ -802,6 +802,8 @@ uint8_t select_ul_harq_pid(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl) {
       return hrq_id;
     }
   }
+  LOG_E(MAC,"All UL HARQ processes are busy. Cannot schedule ULSCH\n");
+  return -1;
 }
 
 void schedule_fapi_ul_pdu(int Mod_idP,
@@ -1006,7 +1008,8 @@ void schedule_fapi_ul_pdu(int Mod_idP,
 
     //Pusch Allocation in frequency domain [TS38.214, sec 6.1.2.2]
     //Optional Data only included if indicated in pduBitmap
-    uint8_t harq_id = select_ul_harq_pid(&UE_list->UE_sched_ctrl[UE_id]);
+    int8_t harq_id = select_ul_harq_pid(&UE_list->UE_sched_ctrl[UE_id]);
+    if (harq_id < 0) return;
     NR_UE_ul_harq_t *cur_harq = &UE_list->UE_sched_ctrl[UE_id].ul_harq_processes[harq_id];
     pusch_pdu->pusch_data.harq_process_id = harq_id;
     pusch_pdu->pusch_data.new_data_indicator = cur_harq->ndi;