diff --git a/lib/include/srsran/common/network_utils.h b/lib/include/srsran/common/network_utils.h
index 2bd86a2d7..9ec7a19c9 100644
--- a/lib/include/srsran/common/network_utils.h
+++ b/lib/include/srsran/common/network_utils.h
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public:
 
   bool bind_addr(const char* bind_addr_str, int port);
   bool connect_to(const char* dest_addr_str, int dest_port, sockaddr_in* dest_sockaddr = nullptr);
+  bool start_listen();
   bool open_socket(net_utils::addr_family ip, net_utils::socket_type socket_type, net_utils::protocol_type protocol);
   int  get_socket() const { return sockfd; };
 
@@ -87,7 +88,6 @@ protected:
 namespace net_utils {
 
 bool sctp_init_socket(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int bind_port);
-bool sctp_init_server(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int port);
 
 } // namespace net_utils
 
diff --git a/lib/src/common/network_utils.cc b/lib/src/common/network_utils.cc
index 232c091ea..5d829b70b 100644
--- a/lib/src/common/network_utils.cc
+++ b/lib/src/common/network_utils.cc
@@ -236,6 +236,22 @@ bool connect_to(int fd, const char* dest_addr_str, int dest_port, sockaddr_in* d
   return true;
 }
 
+bool start_listen(int fd)
+{
+  if (fd < 0) {
+    srslog::fetch_basic_logger(LOGSERVICE).error("Tried to listen for connections with an invalid socket.");
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // Listen for connections
+  if (listen(fd, SOMAXCONN) != 0) {
+    srslog::fetch_basic_logger(LOGSERVICE).error("Failed to listen to incoming SCTP connections");
+    perror("listen()");
+    return false;
+  }
+  return true;
+}
+
 } // namespace net_utils
 
 /********************************************
@@ -260,6 +276,18 @@ unique_socket& unique_socket::operator=(unique_socket&& other) noexcept
   return *this;
 }
 
+bool unique_socket::open_socket(net_utils::addr_family   ip_type,
+                                net_utils::socket_type   socket_type,
+                                net_utils::protocol_type protocol)
+{
+  if (is_open()) {
+    srslog::fetch_basic_logger(LOGSERVICE).error("Socket is already open.");
+    return false;
+  }
+  sockfd = net_utils::open_socket(ip_type, socket_type, protocol);
+  return is_open();
+}
+
 void unique_socket::close()
 {
   if (sockfd >= 0) {
@@ -279,16 +307,9 @@ bool unique_socket::connect_to(const char* dest_addr_str, int dest_port, sockadd
   return net_utils::connect_to(sockfd, dest_addr_str, dest_port, dest_sockaddr);
 }
 
-bool unique_socket::open_socket(net_utils::addr_family   ip_type,
-                                net_utils::socket_type   socket_type,
-                                net_utils::protocol_type protocol)
+bool unique_socket::start_listen()
 {
-  if (is_open()) {
-    srslog::fetch_basic_logger(LOGSERVICE).error("Socket is already open.");
-    return false;
-  }
-  sockfd = net_utils::open_socket(ip_type, socket_type, protocol);
-  return is_open();
+  return net_utils::start_listen(sockfd);
 }
 
 /***********************************************************************
@@ -297,36 +318,18 @@ bool unique_socket::open_socket(net_utils::addr_family   ip_type,
 
 namespace net_utils {
 
-bool sctp_init_socket(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int port)
+bool sctp_init_socket(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int bind_port)
 {
   if (not socket->open_socket(net_utils::addr_family::ipv4, socktype, net_utils::protocol_type::SCTP)) {
     return false;
   }
-  if (not socket->bind_addr(bind_addr_str, port)) {
+  if (not socket->bind_addr(bind_addr_str, bind_port)) {
     socket->close();
     return false;
   }
   return true;
 }
 
-bool sctp_init_client(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int bind_port)
-{
-  return sctp_init_socket(socket, socktype, bind_addr_str, bind_port);
-}
-
-bool sctp_init_server(unique_socket* socket, net_utils::socket_type socktype, const char* bind_addr_str, int port)
-{
-  if (not sctp_init_socket(socket, socktype, bind_addr_str, port)) {
-    return false;
-  }
-  // Listen for connections
-  if (listen(socket->fd(), SOMAXCONN) != 0) {
-    srslog::fetch_basic_logger(LOGSERVICE).error("Failed to listen to incoming SCTP connections");
-    return false;
-  }
-  return true;
-}
-
 } // namespace net_utils
 
 /***************************************************************
diff --git a/lib/test/common/network_utils_test.cc b/lib/test/common/network_utils_test.cc
index 709799a45..c63fd97e3 100644
--- a/lib/test/common/network_utils_test.cc
+++ b/lib/test/common/network_utils_test.cc
@@ -52,7 +52,8 @@ int test_socket_handler()
   const char*            server_addr = "127.0.100.1";
   using namespace srsran::net_utils;
 
-  TESTASSERT(sctp_init_server(&server_socket, socket_type::seqpacket, server_addr, server_port));
+  TESTASSERT(sctp_init_socket(&server_socket, socket_type::seqpacket, server_addr, server_port));
+  TESTASSERT(server_socket.start_listen());
   logger.info("Listening from fd=%d", server_socket.fd());
 
   TESTASSERT(sctp_init_socket(&client_socket, socket_type::seqpacket, "127.0.0.1", 0));
@@ -114,6 +115,18 @@ int test_socket_handler()
   return 0;
 }
 
+int test_sctp_bind_error()
+{
+  srsran::unique_socket sock;
+  TESTASSERT(not srsran::net_utils::sctp_init_socket(
+      &sock, srsran::net_utils::socket_type::seqpacket, "1.1.1.1", 8000)); // Bogus IP address
+                                                                           // should not be able to bind
+  TESTASSERT(srsran::net_utils::sctp_init_socket(
+      &sock, srsran::net_utils::socket_type::seqpacket, "127.0.0.1", 8000)); // Bogus IP address
+                                                                             // should not be able to bind
+  return SRSRAN_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 int main()
 {
   auto& logger = srslog::fetch_basic_logger("S1AP", false);
@@ -123,6 +136,7 @@ int main()
   srslog::init();
 
   TESTASSERT(test_socket_handler() == 0);
+  TESTASSERT(test_sctp_bind_error() == 0);
 
   return 0;
 }