diff --git a/src/mme/mme_sm.c b/src/mme/mme_sm.c
index b6f91073b..bbf5618dd 100644
--- a/src/mme/mme_sm.c
+++ b/src/mme/mme_sm.c
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ void mme_state_operational(fsm_t *s, event_t *e)
 
                 /* If NAS(mme_ue_t) has already been associated with
                  * older S1(enb_ue_t) context */
-                if (mme_ue->enb_ue)
+                if (mme_ue->enb_ue && mme_ue->enb_ue->mme_ue)
                 {
 #if SEND_UE_CTX_REL_CMD_IMMEDIATELY
                    /* Send UE context release command to 
diff --git a/src/mme/s1ap_handler.c b/src/mme/s1ap_handler.c
index f62b12b68..34bf5afe9 100644
--- a/src/mme/s1ap_handler.c
+++ b/src/mme/s1ap_handler.c
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ void s1ap_handle_initial_ue_message(mme_enb_t *enb, s1ap_message_t *message)
 
                 /* If NAS(mme_ue_t) has already been associated with
                  * older S1(enb_ue_t) context */
-                if (mme_ue->enb_ue)
+                if (mme_ue->enb_ue && mme_ue->enb_ue->mme_ue)
                 {
 #if SEND_UE_CTX_REL_CMD_IMMEDIATELY
                    /* Send UE context release command to