diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.c b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.c
index 2c853d8eb61c3830109bd7db9b96f0dc6804403c..182f4c385f093044a852543482a1e4170d881c4d 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.c
@@ -111,13 +111,12 @@ static void nr_pdcp_entity_recv_pdu(nr_pdcp_entity_t *entity,
                    entity->rb_id, rcvd_count, entity->is_gnb ? 0 : 1);
 
   if (entity->has_integrity) {
-    unsigned char integrity[4];
+    unsigned char integrity[4] = {0};
     entity->integrity(entity->integrity_context, integrity,
                       buffer, size - integrity_size,
                       entity->rb_id, rcvd_count, entity->is_gnb ? 0 : 1);
     if (memcmp(integrity, buffer + size - integrity_size, 4) != 0) {
       LOG_E(PDCP, "discard NR PDU, integrity failed\n");
-//      return;
       entity->stats.rxpdu_dd_pkts++;
       entity->stats.rxpdu_dd_bytes += size;
 
@@ -220,20 +219,27 @@ static void nr_pdcp_entity_recv_sdu(nr_pdcp_entity_t *entity,
 
   memcpy(buf + header_size, buffer, size);
 
-  if (entity->has_integrity)
+  if (entity->has_integrity){
+    uint8_t integrity[4] = {0};
     entity->integrity(entity->integrity_context,
-                      (unsigned char *)buf + header_size + size,
+                      integrity,
                       (unsigned char *)buf, header_size + size,
                       entity->rb_id, count, entity->is_gnb ? 1 : 0);
 
+    memcpy((unsigned char *)buf + header_size + size, integrity, 4);
+  }
+
   // set MAC-I to 0 for SRBs with integrity not active
   else if (integrity_size == 4)
     memset(buf + header_size + size, 0, 4);
 
-  if (entity->has_ciphering)
+  if (entity->has_ciphering && (entity->is_gnb || entity->security_mode_completed)){
     entity->cipher(entity->security_context,
                    (unsigned char *)buf + header_size, size + integrity_size,
                    entity->rb_id, count, entity->is_gnb ? 1 : 0);
+  } else {
+    entity->security_mode_completed = true;
+  }
 
   entity->tx_next++;
 
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.h b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.h
index 19445887f43f385d8fdddf9cb18e7f099a1428d6..302ea8f0be90432fc526d8dc132f56c3d33bca8d 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.h
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_entity.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #ifndef _NR_PDCP_ENTITY_H_
 #define _NR_PDCP_ENTITY_H_
 
+#include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include "nr_pdcp_sdu.h"
@@ -149,6 +150,19 @@ typedef struct nr_pdcp_entity_t {
   int           rx_size;
   int           rx_maxsize;
   nr_pdcp_statistics_t stats;
+
+  // WARNING: This is a hack!
+  // 3GPP TS 38.331 (RRC) version 15.3 
+  // Section 5.3.4.3 Reception of the SecurityModeCommand by the UE 
+  // The UE needs to send the Security Mode Complete message. However, the message 
+  // needs to be sent without being ciphered. 
+  // However:
+  // 1- The Security Mode Command arrives to the UE with the cipher algo (e.g., nea2).
+  // 2- The UE is configured with the cipher algo.
+  // 3- The Security Mode Complete message is sent to the itti task queue.
+  // 4- The ITTI task, forwards the message ciphering (e.g., nea2) it. 
+  // 5- The gNB cannot understand the ciphered Security Mode Complete message.
+  bool security_mode_completed;
 } nr_pdcp_entity_t;
 
 nr_pdcp_entity_t *new_nr_pdcp_entity(
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.c b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.c
index ece0b0274d20562a590c629f48387ca70f309ddf..81b5e5e8acb8d313255d9e2a23d68a4a263417a8 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_oai_api.c
@@ -1267,6 +1267,7 @@ void pdcp_config_set_security(
     ciphering_algorithm = security_modeP & 0x0f;
     rb->set_security(rb, integrity_algorithm, (char *)kRRCint_pP,
                      ciphering_algorithm, (char *)kRRCenc_pP);
+    rb->security_mode_completed = false;
   } else {
     LOG_E(PDCP, "%s:%d:%s: TODO\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__);
     exit(1);
diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_security_nea2.c b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_security_nea2.c
index 52afe95673853799743e5511ea39c8fb112deb66..a7479a50329879793ab2f94443f7eda13f88190f 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_security_nea2.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_pdcp/nr_pdcp_security_nea2.c
@@ -54,14 +54,13 @@ void nr_pdcp_security_nea2_cipher(void *security_context,
                                   unsigned char *buffer, int length,
                                   int bearer, int count, int direction)
 {
-  unsigned char t[16];
+  unsigned char t[16] = {0};
 
   t[0] = (count >> 24) & 255;
   t[1] = (count >> 16) & 255;
   t[2] = (count >>  8) & 255;
   t[3] = (count      ) & 255;
   t[4] = ((bearer-1) << 3) | (direction << 2);
-  memset(&t[5], 0, 16-5);
 
   nettle_ctr_crypt(security_context, nettle_aes128.encrypt,
                    nettle_aes128.block_size, t,