diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
index 6d0dc01112..4cf6da7433 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_primitives.c
@@ -3175,21 +3175,23 @@ void send_initial_ul_rrc_message(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_le
   mac->mac_rrc.initial_ul_rrc_message_transfer(0, &ul_rrc_msg);
 }
 
-void prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, NR_UE_info_t *UE)
+bool prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, NR_UE_info_t *UE)
 {
   NR_SCHED_ENSURE_LOCKED(&mac->sched_lock);
+
+  /* activate SRB0 */
+  if (!nr_rlc_activate_srb0(UE->rnti, UE, send_initial_ul_rrc_message))
+    return false;
+
   /* create this UE's initial CellGroup */
   int CC_id = 0;
   int srb_id = 1;
   const NR_ServingCellConfigCommon_t *scc = mac->common_channels[CC_id].ServingCellConfigCommon;
   const NR_ServingCellConfig_t *sccd = mac->common_channels[CC_id].pre_ServingCellConfig;
   NR_CellGroupConfig_t *cellGroupConfig = get_initial_cellGroupConfig(UE->uid, scc, sccd, &mac->radio_config);
-
+  ASN_STRUCT_FREE(asn_DEF_NR_CellGroupConfig, UE->CellGroup);
   UE->CellGroup = cellGroupConfig;
 
-  /* activate SRB0 */
-  nr_rlc_activate_srb0(UE->rnti, UE, send_initial_ul_rrc_message);
-
   /* the cellGroup sent to CU specifies there is SRB1, so create it */
   DevAssert(cellGroupConfig->rlc_BearerToAddModList->list.count == 1);
   const NR_RLC_BearerConfig_t *bearer = cellGroupConfig->rlc_BearerToAddModList->list.array[0];
@@ -3199,6 +3201,7 @@ void prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, NR_UE_info_t *UE)
   int priority = bearer->mac_LogicalChannelConfig->ul_SpecificParameters->priority;
   nr_lc_config_t c = {.lcid = bearer->logicalChannelIdentity, .priority = priority};
   nr_mac_add_lcid(&UE->UE_sched_ctrl, &c);
+  return true;
 }
 
 void nr_mac_trigger_release_timer(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl, NR_SubcarrierSpacing_t subcarrier_spacing)
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_ulsch.c b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_ulsch.c
index 50dd276770..cb233eae1b 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_ulsch.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/gNB_scheduler_ulsch.c
@@ -444,20 +444,23 @@ static int nr_process_mac_pdu(instance_t module_idP,
           mac_len = 6;
         }
 
-        LOG_D(MAC, "[RAPROC] Received SDU for CCCH length %d for UE %04x\n", mac_len, UE->rnti);
+        LOG_I(MAC, "[RAPROC] Received SDU for CCCH length %d for UE %04x\n", mac_len, UE->rnti);
 
-        prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(RC.nrmac[module_idP], UE);
-        mac_rlc_data_ind(module_idP,
-                         UE->rnti,
-                         module_idP,
-                         frameP,
-                         ENB_FLAG_YES,
-                         MBMS_FLAG_NO,
-                         0,
-                         (char *) (pduP + mac_subheader_len),
-                         mac_len,
-                         1,
-                         NULL);
+        if (prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(RC.nrmac[module_idP], UE)) {
+          mac_rlc_data_ind(module_idP,
+                          UE->rnti,
+                          module_idP,
+                          frameP,
+                          ENB_FLAG_YES,
+                          MBMS_FLAG_NO,
+                          0,
+                          (char *) (pduP + mac_subheader_len),
+                          mac_len,
+                          1,
+                          NULL);
+        } else {
+          LOG_E(NR_MAC, "prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message() returned false, cannot forward CCCH message\n");
+        }
         break;
 
       case UL_SCH_LCID_DTCH ... (UL_SCH_LCID_DTCH + 28):
@@ -498,7 +501,7 @@ static int nr_process_mac_pdu(instance_t module_idP,
         break;
 
       default:
-        LOG_E(NR_MAC, "Received unknown MAC header (LCID = 0x%02x)\n", rx_lcid);
+        LOG_E(NR_MAC, "RNTI %0x, received unknown MAC header (LCID = 0x%02x)\n", UE->rnti, rx_lcid);
         return -1;
         break;
       }
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
index a869e172fd..756ddbb39e 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/NR_MAC_gNB/mac_proto.h
@@ -449,7 +449,7 @@ size_t dump_mac_stats(gNB_MAC_INST *gNB, char *output, size_t strlen, bool reset
 long get_lcid_from_drbid(int drb_id);
 long get_lcid_from_srbid(int srb_id);
 
-void prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, NR_UE_info_t *UE);
+bool prepare_initial_ul_rrc_message(gNB_MAC_INST *mac, NR_UE_info_t *UE);
 void send_initial_ul_rrc_message(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data);
 
 void finish_nr_dl_harq(NR_UE_sched_ctrl_t *sched_ctrl, int harq_pid);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
index 46e0da26cf..b8fd148876 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
@@ -983,10 +983,17 @@ void deliver_sdu_srb0(void *deliver_sdu_data, struct nr_rlc_entity_t *entity,
   s0->send_initial_ul_rrc_message(s0->ue_id, (unsigned char *)buf, size, s0->data);
 }
 
-void nr_rlc_activate_srb0(int ue_id,
+bool nr_rlc_activate_srb0(int ue_id,
                           void *data,
                           void (*send_initial_ul_rrc_message)(int ue_id, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data))
 {
+  nr_rlc_manager_lock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
+  nr_rlc_ue_t *ue = nr_rlc_manager_get_ue(nr_rlc_ue_manager, ue_id);
+  if (ue->srb0 != NULL) {
+    LOG_W(RLC, "SRB0 already exists for UE %x, do nothing\n", ue_id);
+    nr_rlc_manager_unlock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
+    return false;
+  }
   struct srb0_data *srb0_data = calloc(1, sizeof(struct srb0_data));
   AssertFatal(srb0_data, "out of memory\n");
 
@@ -994,21 +1001,13 @@ void nr_rlc_activate_srb0(int ue_id,
   srb0_data->data = data;
   srb0_data->send_initial_ul_rrc_message = send_initial_ul_rrc_message;
 
-  nr_rlc_manager_lock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
-  nr_rlc_ue_t *ue = nr_rlc_manager_get_ue(nr_rlc_ue_manager, ue_id);
-  if (ue->srb0 != NULL) {
-    LOG_W(RLC, "SRB0 already exists for UE %d, do nothing\n", ue_id);
-    free(srb0_data);
-    nr_rlc_manager_unlock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
-    return;
-  }
-
   nr_rlc_entity_t *nr_rlc_tm = new_nr_rlc_entity_tm(10000,
-                                   deliver_sdu_srb0, srb0_data);
+                                  deliver_sdu_srb0, srb0_data);
   nr_rlc_ue_add_srb_rlc_entity(ue, 0, nr_rlc_tm);
 
   LOG_I(RLC, "Activated srb0 for UE %d\n", ue_id);
   nr_rlc_manager_unlock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
+  return true;
 }
 
 rlc_op_status_t rrc_rlc_config_req(const protocol_ctxt_t* const ctxt_pP,
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h
index ea47b00f03..736c42a0b7 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.h
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void nr_rlc_activate_avg_time_to_tx(const int ue_id, const logical_chan_id_t cha
 
 void nr_rlc_srb_recv_sdu(const int ue_id, const logical_chan_id_t channel_id, unsigned char *buf, int size);
 
-void nr_rlc_activate_srb0(int ue_id,
+bool nr_rlc_activate_srb0(int ue_id,
                           void *data,
                           void (*send_initial_ul_rrc_message)(int rnti, const uint8_t *sdu, sdu_size_t sdu_len, void *data));