diff --git a/openair1/PHY/LTE_ESTIMATION/lte_sync_time.c b/openair1/PHY/LTE_ESTIMATION/lte_sync_time.c
index 6e2311789eabe56d5adf61140a8dca98df309f54..edbdbda2d1986d915f195a9e544149a673e02afb 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/LTE_ESTIMATION/lte_sync_time.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/LTE_ESTIMATION/lte_sync_time.c
@@ -483,13 +483,10 @@ int lte_sync_time(int **rxdata, ///rx data in time domain
 
   *eNB_id = sync_source;
 
-#ifdef DEBUG_PHY
-  msg("[PHY][UE] lte_sync_time: Sync source = %d, Peak found at pos %d, val = %d\n",
-      sync_source,peak_pos,peak_val);
-
-
+  LOG_D(PHY,"[UE] lte_sync_time: Sync source = %d, Peak found at pos %d, val = %d (%d dB)\n",sync_source,peak_pos,peak_val,dB_fixed(peak_val)/2);
 
 
+#ifdef DEBUG_PHY
   if (debug_cnt == 0) {
     write_output("sync_corr0_ue.m","synccorr0",sync_corr_ue0,2*length,1,2);
     write_output("sync_corr1_ue.m","synccorr1",sync_corr_ue1,2*length,1,2);
diff --git a/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/initial_sync.c b/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/initial_sync.c
index 7948ccf3d1d975980eceed136b5d5a74bb95778c..17ad0542f2c0d5c7bcd9883e69ede873207424e4 100644
--- a/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/initial_sync.c
+++ b/openair1/PHY/LTE_TRANSPORT/initial_sync.c
@@ -571,12 +571,20 @@ int initial_sync(PHY_VARS_UE *phy_vars_ue, runmode_t mode)
   }
 
   // gain control
-  if (ret!=0) { //we are not synched, so do a measurement on the full frame
+  if (ret!=0) { //we are not synched, so we cannot use rssi measurement (which is based on channel estimates)
     rx_power = 0;
 
+    // do a measurement on the best guess of the PSS
+    for (aarx=0; aarx<frame_parms->nb_antennas_rx; aarx++)
+      rx_power += signal_energy(&phy_vars_ue->lte_ue_common_vars.rxdata[aarx][sync_pos2],
+				frame_parms->ofdm_symbol_size+frame_parms->nb_prefix_samples);
+    
+    /*
+    // do a measurement on the full frame
     for (aarx=0; aarx<frame_parms->nb_antennas_rx; aarx++)
       rx_power += signal_energy(&phy_vars_ue->lte_ue_common_vars.rxdata[aarx][0],
 				frame_parms->samples_per_tti*10);
+    */
 
     // we might add a low-pass filter here later
     phy_vars_ue->PHY_measurements.rx_power_avg[0] = rx_power/frame_parms->nb_antennas_rx; 
@@ -617,7 +625,6 @@ int initial_sync(PHY_VARS_UE *phy_vars_ue, runmode_t mode)
 #endif
   }
 
-
   //  exit_fun("debug exit");
   return ret;
 }