diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.h b/lib/include/srsran/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.h
index 08da38bca..197612d39 100644
--- a/lib/include/srsran/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.h
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.h
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ public:
   const mac_sch_subpdu_nr& get_subpdu(const uint32_t& index);
   bool                     is_ulsch();
 
-  void init_tx(byte_buffer_t* buffer_, uint32_t pdu_len_, bool is_ulsch_ = false);
+  int  init_tx(byte_buffer_t* buffer_, uint32_t pdu_len_, bool is_ulsch_ = false);
   void init_rx(bool ulsch_ = false);
 
   // Add SDU or CEs to PDU
diff --git a/lib/src/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.cc b/lib/src/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.cc
index e06b50831..17c5f93a1 100644
--- a/lib/src/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.cc
+++ b/lib/src/mac/mac_sch_pdu_nr.cc
@@ -334,13 +334,18 @@ bool mac_sch_pdu_nr::is_ulsch()
   return ulsch;
 }
 
-void mac_sch_pdu_nr::init_tx(byte_buffer_t* buffer_, uint32_t pdu_len_, bool ulsch_)
+int mac_sch_pdu_nr::init_tx(byte_buffer_t* buffer_, uint32_t pdu_len_, bool ulsch_)
 {
+  if (buffer_ == nullptr || buffer_->msg == nullptr) {
+    logger.error("Invalid buffer");
+    return SRSRAN_ERROR;
+  }
   buffer = buffer_;
   subpdus.clear();
   pdu_len       = pdu_len_;
   remaining_len = pdu_len_;
   ulsch         = ulsch_;
+  return SRSRAN_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 void mac_sch_pdu_nr::init_rx(bool ulsch_)
diff --git a/srsenb/src/stack/mac/nr/ue_nr.cc b/srsenb/src/stack/mac/nr/ue_nr.cc
index 26a48d126..c124e41e8 100644
--- a/srsenb/src/stack/mac/nr/ue_nr.cc
+++ b/srsenb/src/stack/mac/nr/ue_nr.cc
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ int ue_nr::generate_pdu(srsran::byte_buffer_t* pdu, uint32_t grant_size)
 {
   std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(mutex);
 
-  mac_pdu_dl.init_tx(pdu, grant_size);
+  if (mac_pdu_dl.init_tx(pdu, grant_size) != SRSRAN_SUCCESS) {
+    logger.error("Couldn't initialize MAC PDU buffer");
+    return SRSRAN_ERROR;
+  }
 
   // read RLC PDU
   ue_rlc_buffer->clear();