diff --git a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
index e63136222611eb15bc717f2ce4046e248805b539..dc482e70618be93d571a96e0562ae52b0d81a640 100644
--- a/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
+++ b/openair2/F1AP/f1ap_cu_task.c
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@ void cu_task_handle_sctp_association_resp(instance_t instance, sctp_new_associat
     .remote_ipv4_address = RC.rrc[instance]->eth_params_s.remote_addr,
     .remote_port         = RC.rrc[instance]->eth_params_s.remote_portd
   };
+  /* stop, then start the PROTO_AGENT. If it is already stopped, stopping it
+   * again will do nothing, therefore it is safe to call here.
+   * TODO: call proto_agent_stop() when CU_TASK is informed about conn release */
+  proto_agent_stop(instance);
   AssertFatal(proto_agent_start(instance, &params) == 0,
               "could not start PROTO_AGENT for F1U on instance %d!\n", instance);
 }
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
index 0b53f366bc3349c9b242c7ac9fe026f9a2b0b201..00441aeed572ffef88836c55a0aa2265c864e352 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/PROTO_AGENT/proto_agent.c
@@ -137,7 +137,11 @@ error:
 
 void proto_agent_stop(mod_id_t mod_id)
 {
+  if (!proto_agent[mod_id].channel) return;
+  proto_agent_async_release(proto_agent[mod_id].channel);
   proto_agent_destroy_channel(proto_agent[mod_id].channel->channel_id);
+  free(proto_agent[mod_id].channel);
+  proto_agent[mod_id].channel = NULL;
 }
 
 //void