diff --git a/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-ideal.cc b/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-ideal.cc
index b9053cafb..08742fe40 100644
--- a/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-ideal.cc
+++ b/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-ideal.cc
@@ -173,16 +173,31 @@ LteUeRrcProtocolIdeal::DoSendMeasurementReport (LteRrcSap::MeasurementReport msg
 void
 LteUeRrcProtocolIdeal::DoSendIdealUeContextRemoveRequest (uint16_t rnti)
 {
-  SetEnbRrcSapProvider (); //the provider has to be reset since the cell might have changed due to handover
-  //ideally informing eNB
-  Simulator::Schedule (RRC_IDEAL_MSG_DELAY, &LteEnbRrcSapProvider::RecvIdealUeContextRemoveRequest,
-                       m_enbRrcSapProvider, rnti);
+  NS_LOG_FUNCTION (this);
+
+   uint16_t cellId = m_rrc->GetCellId ();
+   // re-initialize the RNTI and get the EnbLteRrcSapProvider for the
+   // eNB we are currently attached to or attempting random access to
+   // a target eNB
+   m_rnti = m_rrc->GetRnti ();
+
+   NS_LOG_DEBUG ("RNTI " << rnti
+                 << " sending UE context remove request to cell id " << cellId);
+   NS_ABORT_MSG_IF (m_rnti != rnti, "RNTI mismatch");
+
+   SetEnbRrcSapProvider (); //the provider has to be reset since the cell might have changed due to handover
+   //ideally informing eNB
+   Simulator::Schedule (RRC_IDEAL_MSG_DELAY, &LteEnbRrcSapProvider::RecvIdealUeContextRemoveRequest,
+                        m_enbRrcSapProvider, m_rnti);
 }
 
 void 
 LteUeRrcProtocolIdeal::SetEnbRrcSapProvider ()
 {
+  NS_LOG_FUNCTION (this);
+
   uint16_t cellId = m_rrc->GetCellId ();
+  NS_LOG_DEBUG ("RNTI " << m_rnti << " connected to cell " << cellId);
 
   // walk list of all nodes to get the peer eNB
   Ptr<LteEnbNetDevice> enbDev;
@@ -284,7 +299,8 @@ LteEnbRrcProtocolIdeal::SetUeRrcSapProvider (uint16_t rnti, LteUeRrcSapProvider*
 {
   std::map<uint16_t, LteUeRrcSapProvider*>::iterator it;
   it = m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.find (rnti);
-  NS_ASSERT_MSG (it != m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.end (), "could not find RNTI = " << rnti);
+  NS_ASSERT_MSG (it != m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.end (), "Cell id " << m_cellId
+                                         << " could not find RNTI = " << rnti);
   it->second = p;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-real.cc b/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-real.cc
index cc3df48a7..5353d2a14 100644
--- a/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-real.cc
+++ b/src/lte/model/lte-rrc-protocol-real.cc
@@ -197,8 +197,18 @@ void
 LteUeRrcProtocolReal::DoSendIdealUeContextRemoveRequest (uint16_t rnti)
 {
   NS_LOG_FUNCTION(this<<rnti);
+  uint16_t cellId = m_rrc->GetCellId ();
+  // re-initialize the RNTI and get the EnbLteRrcSapProvider for the
+  // eNB we are currently attached to or attempting random access to
+  // a target eNB
   m_rnti = m_rrc->GetRnti ();
-  SetEnbRrcSapProvider (); //the provider has to be reset since the cell might have changed due to handover
+
+  NS_LOG_DEBUG ("RNTI " << rnti
+                << " sending UE context remove request to cell id " << cellId);
+  NS_ABORT_MSG_IF (m_rnti != rnti, "RNTI mismatch");
+
+  SetEnbRrcSapProvider (); //the provider has to be reset since the cell might
+                          // have changed due to handover
   //ideally informing eNB
   Simulator::Schedule (RRC_REAL_MSG_DELAY, &LteEnbRrcSapProvider::RecvIdealUeContextRemoveRequest,
                        m_enbRrcSapProvider, rnti);
@@ -244,8 +254,12 @@ LteUeRrcProtocolReal::DoSendRrcConnectionReestablishmentComplete (LteRrcSap::Rrc
 void 
 LteUeRrcProtocolReal::SetEnbRrcSapProvider ()
 {
+  NS_LOG_FUNCTION (this);
+
   uint16_t cellId = m_rrc->GetCellId ();
 
+  NS_LOG_DEBUG ("RNTI " << m_rnti << " connected to cell " << cellId);
+
   // walk list of all nodes to get the peer eNB
   Ptr<LteEnbNetDevice> enbDev;
   NodeList::Iterator listEnd = NodeList::End ();
@@ -434,7 +448,8 @@ LteEnbRrcProtocolReal::SetUeRrcSapProvider (uint16_t rnti, LteUeRrcSapProvider*
 {
   std::map<uint16_t, LteUeRrcSapProvider*>::iterator it;
   it = m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.find (rnti);
-  NS_ASSERT_MSG (it != m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.end (), "could not find RNTI = " << rnti);
+  NS_ASSERT_MSG (it != m_enbRrcSapProviderMap.end (), "Cell id " << m_cellId
+                                         << " could not find RNTI = " << rnti);
   it->second = p;
 }