diff --git a/executables/nr-cuup.c b/executables/nr-cuup.c
index 381e56bd2f..978486f261 100644
--- a/executables/nr-cuup.c
+++ b/executables/nr-cuup.c
@@ -145,6 +145,9 @@ f1ap_cudu_inst_t *getCxt(instance_t instanceP)
   return &fake;
 }
 configmodule_interface_t *uniqCfg = NULL;
+
+void rrc_gNB_send_NGAP_UE_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMPLETE(instance_t instance, uint32_t gNB_ue_ngap_id) { };
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
   /// static configuration for NR at the moment
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index e8c7fcdc2c..9bf178afe2 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -106,6 +106,21 @@ extern RAN_CONTEXT_t RC;
 
 mui_t rrc_gNB_mui = 0;
 
+typedef struct deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t {
+  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc;
+  f1ap_ue_context_release_cmd_t *release_cmd;
+  sctp_assoc_t assoc_id;
+} deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t;
+
+static void rrc_deliver_ue_ctxt_release_cmd(void *deliver_pdu_data, ue_id_t ue_id, int srb_id, char *buf, int size, int sdu_id)
+{
+  DevAssert(deliver_pdu_data != NULL);
+  deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t *data = deliver_pdu_data;
+  data->release_cmd->rrc_container = (uint8_t*) buf;
+  data->release_cmd->rrc_container_length = size;
+  data->rrc->mac_rrc.ue_context_release_command(data->assoc_id, data->release_cmd);
+}
+
 ///---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------///
 ///---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------///
 
@@ -1974,8 +1989,18 @@ static void rrc_CU_process_ue_context_release_request(MessageDef *msg_p, sctp_as
   rrc_gNB_ue_context_t *ue_context_p = rrc_gNB_get_ue_context(rrc, req->gNB_CU_ue_id);
   // TODO what happens if no AMF connected? should also handle, set an_release true
   if (!ue_context_p) {
-    LOG_E(RRC, "could not find UE context for CU UE ID %u, aborting transaction\n", req->gNB_CU_ue_id);
-    // TODO just request the DU to release to make it happy
+    LOG_W(RRC, "could not find UE context for CU UE ID %u: auto-generate release command\n", req->gNB_CU_ue_id);
+    uint8_t buffer[RRC_BUF_SIZE] = {0};
+    int size = do_NR_RRCRelease(buffer, RRC_BUF_SIZE, rrc_gNB_get_next_transaction_identifier(0));
+    f1ap_ue_context_release_cmd_t ue_context_release_cmd = {
+        .gNB_CU_ue_id = req->gNB_CU_ue_id,
+        .gNB_DU_ue_id = req->gNB_DU_ue_id,
+        .cause = F1AP_CAUSE_RADIO_NETWORK,
+        .cause_value = 10, // 10 = F1AP_CauseRadioNetwork_normal_release
+        .srb_id = DCCH,
+    };
+    deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t data = {.rrc = rrc, .release_cmd = &ue_context_release_cmd};
+    nr_pdcp_data_req_srb(req->gNB_CU_ue_id, DCCH, rrc_gNB_mui++, size, buffer, rrc_deliver_ue_ctxt_release_cmd, &data);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -2645,20 +2670,6 @@ void rrc_gNB_generate_SecurityModeCommand(gNB_RRC_INST *rrc, gNB_RRC_UE_t *ue_p)
   nr_rrc_transfer_protected_rrc_message(rrc, ue_p, DL_SCH_LCID_DCCH, buffer, size);
 }
 
-typedef struct deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t {
-  gNB_RRC_INST *rrc;
-  f1ap_ue_context_release_cmd_t *release_cmd;
-  sctp_assoc_t assoc_id;
-} deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t;
-static void rrc_deliver_ue_ctxt_release_cmd(void *deliver_pdu_data, ue_id_t ue_id, int srb_id, char *buf, int size, int sdu_id)
-{
-  DevAssert(deliver_pdu_data != NULL);
-  deliver_ue_ctxt_release_data_t *data = deliver_pdu_data;
-  data->release_cmd->rrc_container = (uint8_t*) buf;
-  data->release_cmd->rrc_container_length = size;
-  data->rrc->mac_rrc.ue_context_release_command(data->assoc_id, data->release_cmd);
-}
-
 //-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 /*
 * Generate the RRC Connection Release to UE.