diff --git a/lib/include/srslte/adt/mem_pool.h b/lib/include/srslte/adt/mem_pool.h
index 1277e3d8d..935e6a733 100644
--- a/lib/include/srslte/adt/mem_pool.h
+++ b/lib/include/srslte/adt/mem_pool.h
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ public:
   void deallocate_node(void* p)
   {
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex);
+    assert(p != nullptr);
     if (p != nullptr) {
       obj_cache.push(static_cast<uint8_t*>(p));
     }
diff --git a/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc.h b/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc.h
index a8685eb8f..713f8f41a 100644
--- a/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc.h
+++ b/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc.h
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
 #include "rrc_metrics.h"
 #include "srsenb/hdr/stack/upper/common_enb.h"
 #include "srslte/adt/circular_buffer.h"
-#include "srslte/adt/mem_pool.h"
 #include "srslte/common/buffer_pool.h"
 #include "srslte/common/common.h"
 #include "srslte/common/stack_procedure.h"
diff --git a/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.h b/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.h
index 9505fcd06..fab63a10f 100644
--- a/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.h
+++ b/srsenb/hdr/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.h
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 #include "mac_controller.h"
 #include "rrc.h"
+#include "srslte/adt/mem_pool.h"
 #include "srslte/interfaces/enb_phy_interfaces.h"
 #include "srslte/interfaces/pdcp_interface_types.h"
 
@@ -119,7 +120,8 @@ public:
   void  operator delete(void* ptr)noexcept;
   void  operator delete[](void* ptr) = delete;
 
-  static srslte::background_allocator_obj_pool<ue, 16, 4>* get_ue_pool();
+  using ue_pool_t = srslte::background_allocator_obj_pool<ue, 16, 4>;
+  static ue_pool_t* get_ue_pool();
 
 private:
   // args
diff --git a/srsenb/src/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.cc b/srsenb/src/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.cc
index da1eaacb9..134f75738 100644
--- a/srsenb/src/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.cc
+++ b/srsenb/src/stack/rrc/rrc_ue.cc
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ srslte::background_allocator_obj_pool<rrc::ue, 16, 4>* rrc::ue::get_ue_pool()
 {
   // Note: batch allocation is going to be explicitly called in enb class construction. The pool object, therefore,
   //       will only be initialized if we instantiate an eNB
-  static srslte::background_allocator_obj_pool<rrc::ue, 16, 4> ue_pool(true);
+  static rrc::ue::ue_pool_t ue_pool(true);
   return &ue_pool;
 }