diff --git a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
index 16dae866ce5ab3b872b75c9d600cfd619f8d53c0..3b0847feae8d9da77f9c7d61b00f4bb42f8a7fc2 100644
--- a/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
+++ b/openair2/LAYER2/nr_rlc/nr_rlc_oai_api.c
@@ -667,6 +667,7 @@ void nr_rlc_reestablish_entity(int ue_id, int lc_id)
 
   if (ue == NULL) {
     LOG_E(RLC, "RLC instance for the given UE was not found \n");
+    nr_rlc_manager_unlock(nr_rlc_ue_manager);
     return;
   }
   nr_rlc_entity_t *rb = get_rlc_entity_from_lcid(ue, lc_id);