diff --git a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
index 0cd64ca250..5562c8e161 100644
--- a/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
+++ b/openair2/E1AP/e1ap.c
@@ -532,37 +532,10 @@ int e1apCUUP_handle_BEARER_CONTEXT_MODIFICATION_CONFIRM(instance_t instance,
   BEARER CONTEXT RELEASE
 */
 
-static int fill_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t *const cmd, E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu)
+static int e1apCUCP_send_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t *const cmd)
 {
-  pdu->present = E1AP_E1AP_PDU_PR_initiatingMessage;
-  asn1cCalloc(pdu->choice.initiatingMessage, msg);
-  msg->procedureCode = E1AP_ProcedureCode_id_bearerContextRelease;
-  msg->criticality   = E1AP_Criticality_reject;
-  msg->value.present = E1AP_InitiatingMessage__value_PR_BearerContextReleaseCommand;
-  E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommand_t *out = &pdu->choice.initiatingMessage->value.choice.BearerContextReleaseCommand;
-  /* mandatory */
-  /* c1. gNB-CU-CP UE E1AP ID */
-  asn1cSequenceAdd(out->protocolIEs.list, E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs_t, ieC1);
-  ieC1->id                         = E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_gNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-  ieC1->criticality                = E1AP_Criticality_reject;
-  ieC1->value.present              = E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs__value_PR_GNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-  ieC1->value.choice.GNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID = cmd->gNB_cu_cp_ue_id;
-  /* mandatory */
-  /* c2. gNB-CU-UP UE E1AP ID */
-  asn1cSequenceAdd(out->protocolIEs.list, E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs_t, ieC2);
-  ieC2->id                         = E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_gNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-  ieC2->criticality                = E1AP_Criticality_reject;
-  ieC2->value.present              = E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs__value_PR_GNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-  ieC2->value.choice.GNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID = cmd->gNB_cu_cp_ue_id;
-
-  return 0;
-}
-
-int e1apCUCP_send_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t *const cmd)
-{
-  E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t pdu = {0};
-  fill_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(cmd, &pdu);
-  return e1ap_encode_send(CPtype, assoc_id, &pdu, 0, __func__);
+  E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu = encode_e1_bearer_context_release_command(cmd);
+  return e1ap_encode_send(CPtype, assoc_id, pdu, 0, __func__);
 }
 
 static int fill_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMPLETE(const e1ap_bearer_release_cplt_t *cplt, E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu)
@@ -604,56 +577,14 @@ int e1apCUUP_send_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_REQUEST(instance_t instance)
   return -1;
 }
 
-void extract_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu, e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t *bearerCxt)
+int e1apCUUP_handle_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, e1ap_upcp_inst_t *inst, const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu)
 {
-  const E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommand_t *in = &pdu->choice.initiatingMessage->value.choice.BearerContextReleaseCommand;
-  E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs_t *ie;
-
-  LOG_D(E1AP, "Bearer context setup number of IEs %d\n", in->protocolIEs.list.count);
-
-  for (int i = 0; i < in->protocolIEs.list.count; i++) {
-    ie = in->protocolIEs.list.array[i];
-
-    switch(ie->id) {
-      case E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_gNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID:
-        DevAssert(ie->criticality == E1AP_Criticality_reject);
-        DevAssert(ie->value.present == E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs__value_PR_GNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID);
-        bearerCxt->gNB_cu_cp_ue_id = ie->value.choice.GNB_CU_CP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-        break;
-
-      case E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_gNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID:
-        DevAssert(ie->criticality == E1AP_Criticality_reject);
-        DevAssert(ie->value.present == E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs__value_PR_GNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID);
-        bearerCxt->gNB_cu_up_ue_id = ie->value.choice.GNB_CU_UP_UE_E1AP_ID;
-        break;
-
-      case E1AP_ProtocolIE_ID_id_Cause:
-        DevAssert(ie->criticality == E1AP_Criticality_ignore);
-        DevAssert(ie->value.present == E1AP_BearerContextReleaseCommandIEs__value_PR_Cause);
-        bearerCxt->cause.type = ie->value.choice.Cause.present;
-        if ((ie->value.choice.Cause.present != E1AP_Cause_PR_NOTHING) &&
-            (ie->value.choice.Cause.present != E1AP_Cause_PR_choice_extension))
-          bearerCxt->cause.value = ie->value.choice.Cause.choice.radioNetwork;
-        break;
-                                                 
-      default:
-        LOG_E(E1AP, "Handle for this IE is not implemented (or) invalid IE detected\n");
-        break;
-    }
+  e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t release = {0};
+  if(!decode_e1_bearer_context_release_command(&release, pdu)) {
+    free_e1_bearer_context_release_command(&release);
+    return -1;
   }
-}
-
-int e1apCUUP_handle_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(sctp_assoc_t assoc_id, e1ap_upcp_inst_t *e1_inst, const E1AP_E1AP_PDU_t *pdu)
-{
-  DevAssert(pdu != NULL);
-  DevAssert(pdu->present == E1AP_E1AP_PDU_PR_initiatingMessage);
-  DevAssert(pdu->choice.initiatingMessage->procedureCode == E1AP_ProcedureCode_id_bearerContextRelease);
-  DevAssert(pdu->choice.initiatingMessage->criticality == E1AP_Criticality_reject);
-  DevAssert(pdu->choice.initiatingMessage->value.present == E1AP_InitiatingMessage__value_PR_BearerContextReleaseCommand);
-
-  e1ap_bearer_release_cmd_t bearerCxt = {0};
-  extract_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(pdu, &bearerCxt);
-  e1_bearer_release_cmd(&bearerCxt);
+  e1_bearer_release_cmd(&release);
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -974,6 +905,7 @@ void *E1AP_CUCP_task(void *arg)
 
       case E1AP_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD:
         e1apCUCP_send_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_COMMAND(assoc_id, &E1AP_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD(msg));
+        free_e1_bearer_context_release_command(&E1AP_BEARER_CONTEXT_RELEASE_CMD(msg));
         break;
 
       default: