diff --git a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_nas_procedures.c b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_nas_procedures.c
index ad8b0ae86037f647e080c3fce1d9d5433f456177..4ea84070674f93e835c8192ce72b9879f2f2295d 100644
--- a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_nas_procedures.c
+++ b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_nas_procedures.c
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ int s1ap_eNB_handle_nas_first_req(
     DevAssert(ue_desc_p != NULL);
 
     /* Keep a reference to the selected MME */
-    ue_desc_p->mme_ref      = mme_desc_p;
-    ue_desc_p->rnti         = s1ap_nas_first_req_p->rnti;
-    ue_desc_p->eNB_instance = instance_p;
+    ue_desc_p->mme_ref       = mme_desc_p;
+    ue_desc_p->ue_initial_id = s1ap_nas_first_req_p->ue_initial_id;
+    ue_desc_p->eNB_instance  = instance_p;
 
     do {
         struct s1ap_eNB_ue_context_s *collision_p;
diff --git a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_ue_context.h b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_ue_context.h
index 87cffac184958bdb1cfd2f8fa25cf8bbbf18957c..121bab37c1ad8545fcea137150a7c5bb3eefcdd0 100644
--- a/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_ue_context.h
+++ b/openair-cn/S1AP/s1ap_eNB_ue_context.h
@@ -60,8 +60,8 @@ typedef struct s1ap_eNB_ue_context_s {
      */
     unsigned eNB_ue_s1ap_id:24;
 
-    /* RNTI of the UE as used on LTE-Uu interface */
-    uint16_t rnti;
+    /* UE id for initial connection to S1AP */
+    uint16_t ue_initial_id;
 
     /* Uniquely identifies the UE within MME. Encoded on 32 bits. */
     uint32_t mme_ue_s1ap_id;
diff --git a/openair2/COMMON/s1ap_messages_types.h b/openair2/COMMON/s1ap_messages_types.h
index d6028d336060bc863754122d3411912d773dd4af..f44fbe99923a0081e6f93a39f06912845f8ea905 100644
--- a/openair2/COMMON/s1ap_messages_types.h
+++ b/openair2/COMMON/s1ap_messages_types.h
@@ -222,8 +222,8 @@ typedef struct s1ap_register_eNB_s {
  * will be the unique identifier used between RRC and S1AP.
  */
 typedef struct s1ap_nas_first_req_s {
-    /* RNTI of the mobile */
-    uint16_t rnti;
+    /* UE id for initial connection to S1AP */
+    uint16_t ue_initial_id;
 
     /* Establishment cause as sent by UE */
     rrc_establishment_cause_t establishment_cause;
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/LITE/defs.h b/openair2/RRC/LITE/defs.h
index 35330c437e9b0e66e2f5676c6f6e7bd01c543993..ecf35ed4f61f19d8770cec75f11b634d043d4ce7 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/LITE/defs.h
+++ b/openair2/RRC/LITE/defs.h
@@ -167,6 +167,9 @@ typedef struct{
     UE_S_TMSI Initialue_identity_s_TMSI;
     EstablishmentCause_t establishment_cause;
 
+    /* UE id for initial connection to S1AP */
+    uint16_t ue_initial_id;
+
     /* Information from S1AP initial_context_setup_req */
     unsigned eNB_ue_s1ap_id :24;
     /* Number of e_rab to be setup in the list */
diff --git a/openair2/RRC/LITE/rrc_eNB.c b/openair2/RRC/LITE/rrc_eNB.c
index c36785f2f4831d2b137cdc5b4fc9fb755efdf66a..94be7e67e6d43a9bd097662c9be36a7407dd1c2b 100644
--- a/openair2/RRC/LITE/rrc_eNB.c
+++ b/openair2/RRC/LITE/rrc_eNB.c
@@ -450,6 +450,16 @@ static uint8_t get_next_rrc_transaction_identifier(u8 Mod_id)
     return rrc_transaction_identifier[Mod_id];
 }
 
+static uint16_t get_next_ue_initial_id(u8 Mod_id)
+{
+  static uint16_t ue_initial_id[NUMBER_OF_eNB_MAX];
+
+  ue_initial_id[Mod_id] = ue_initial_id[Mod_id] + 1;
+
+  return ue_initial_id[Mod_id];
+}
+
+
 static u8 get_next_UE_index (u8 Mod_id, u8 *UE_identity)
 {
   u8 i, first_index = 255, reg = 0;
@@ -1218,7 +1228,8 @@ void rrc_eNB_process_RRCConnectionSetupComplete (u8 Mod_id,
     MessageDef *message_p;
 
     message_p = itti_alloc_new_message (TASK_RRC_ENB, S1AP_NAS_FIRST_REQ);
-    S1AP_NAS_FIRST_REQ (message_p).rnti = eNB_mac_inst[Mod_id].UE_template[UE_index].rnti; // TODO check if this is the correct id to use
+    eNB_rrc_inst[Mod_id].Info.UE[UE_index].ue_initial_id = get_next_ue_initial_id(Mod_id);
+    S1AP_NAS_FIRST_REQ (message_p).ue_initial_id = eNB_rrc_inst[Mod_id].Info.UE[UE_index].ue_initial_id;
 
     /* Assume that cause is coded in the same way in RRC and S1ap, just check that the value is in S1ap range */
     DevCheck(eNB_rrc_inst[Mod_id].Info.UE[UE_index].establishment_cause < RRC_CAUSE_LAST, eNB_rrc_inst[Mod_id].Info.UE[UE_index].establishment_cause, RRC_CAUSE_LAST, Mod_id);