diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
index 5ab7c0ba12..e960119d81 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB.c
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
 #include "openair2/SDAP/nr_sdap/nr_sdap_entity.h"
 #include "openair2/E1AP/e1ap.h"
 #include "cucp_cuup_if.h"
+#include "lib/f1ap_interface_management.h"
 
 #include "BIT_STRING.h"
 #include "assertions.h"
@@ -2309,7 +2310,7 @@ void *rrc_gnb_task(void *args_p) {
       /* From DU -> CU */
       case F1AP_UL_RRC_MESSAGE:
         rrc_gNB_decode_dcch(RC.nrrrc[instance], &F1AP_UL_RRC_MESSAGE(msg_p));
-        free(F1AP_UL_RRC_MESSAGE(msg_p).rrc_container);
+        free_ul_rrc_message_transfer(&F1AP_UL_RRC_MESSAGE(msg_p));
         break;
 
       case NGAP_DOWNLINK_NAS:
@@ -2332,6 +2333,7 @@ void *rrc_gnb_task(void *args_p) {
       case F1AP_SETUP_REQ:
         AssertFatal(!NODE_IS_DU(RC.nrrrc[instance]->node_type), "should not receive F1AP_SETUP_REQUEST in DU!\n");
         rrc_gNB_process_f1_setup_req(&F1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p), msg_p->ittiMsgHeader.originInstance);
+        free_f1ap_setup_request(&F1AP_SETUP_REQ(msg_p));
         break;
 
       case F1AP_UE_CONTEXT_SETUP_RESP:
@@ -2361,6 +2363,7 @@ void *rrc_gnb_task(void *args_p) {
       case F1AP_GNB_DU_CONFIGURATION_UPDATE:
         AssertFatal(!NODE_IS_DU(RC.nrrrc[instance]->node_type), "should not receive F1AP_SETUP_REQUEST in DU!\n");
         rrc_gNB_process_f1_du_configuration_update(&F1AP_GNB_DU_CONFIGURATION_UPDATE(msg_p), msg_p->ittiMsgHeader.originInstance);
+        free_f1ap_du_configuration_update(&F1AP_GNB_DU_CONFIGURATION_UPDATE(msg_p));
         break;
 
       case F1AP_GNB_CU_CONFIGURATION_UPDATE_ACKNOWLEDGE:
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_du.c b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_du.c
index e2806edf60..df0bf15a74 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_du.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/NR/rrc_gNB_du.c
@@ -383,8 +383,6 @@ void rrc_gNB_process_f1_setup_req(f1ap_setup_req_t *req, sctp_assoc_t assoc_id)
   f1ap_setup_resp_t resp = {.transaction_id = req->transaction_id,
                             .num_cells_to_activate = 1,
                             .cells_to_activate[0] = cell};
-  // free F1AP message after use
-  free_f1ap_setup_request(req);
   int num = read_version(TO_STRING(NR_RRC_VERSION), &resp.rrc_ver[0], &resp.rrc_ver[1], &resp.rrc_ver[2]);
   AssertFatal(num == 3, "could not read RRC version string %s\n", TO_STRING(NR_RRC_VERSION));
   if (rrc->node_name != NULL)