diff --git a/executables/nr-ue.c b/executables/nr-ue.c
index 447c99182b..37fc3390d8 100644
--- a/executables/nr-ue.c
+++ b/executables/nr-ue.c
@@ -138,11 +138,8 @@ static void *nrL1_UE_stats_thread(void *param)
   return NULL;
 }
 
-void init_nr_ue_vars(PHY_VARS_NR_UE *ue,
-                     uint8_t UE_id,
-                     uint8_t abstraction_flag)
+void init_nr_ue_vars(PHY_VARS_NR_UE *ue, uint8_t UE_id)
 {
-
   int nb_connected_gNB = 1;
 
   ue->Mod_id      = UE_id;
diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
index d78fe26206..a4e02a56aa 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.c
@@ -160,11 +160,6 @@ uint32_t       N_RB_DL    = 106;
 // NTN cellSpecificKoffset-r17, but in slots for DL SCS
 unsigned int NTN_UE_Koffset = 0;
 
-/* see file openair2/LAYER2/MAC/main.c for why abstraction_flag is needed
- * this is very hackish - find a proper solution
- */
-uint8_t abstraction_flag=0;
-
 /*---------------------BMC: timespec helpers -----------------------------*/
 
 struct timespec min_diff_time = { .tv_sec = 0, .tv_nsec = 0 };
@@ -563,7 +558,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         }
 
         UE[CC_id]->sl_mode = get_softmodem_params()->sl_mode;
-        init_nr_ue_vars(UE[CC_id], inst, abstraction_flag);
+        init_nr_ue_vars(UE[CC_id], inst);
 
         if (UE[CC_id]->sl_mode) {
           AssertFatal(UE[CC_id]->sl_mode == 2, "Only Sidelink mode 2 supported. Mode 1 not yet supported\n");
diff --git a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
index 9505bfd6b3..5f01bfdf3a 100644
--- a/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
+++ b/executables/nr-uesoftmodem.h
@@ -103,6 +103,6 @@ extern void reset_opp_meas(void);
 extern void print_opp_meas(void);
 void start_oai_nrue_threads(void);
 void *UE_thread(void *arg);
-void init_nr_ue_vars(PHY_VARS_NR_UE *ue, uint8_t UE_id, uint8_t abstraction_flag);
+void init_nr_ue_vars(PHY_VARS_NR_UE *ue, uint8_t UE_id);
 void init_nrUE_standalone_thread(int ue_idx);
 #endif