A method in a network node including a gNB-Distributed Unit (DU) logical node and a gNB-Central Unit (CU) logical node for determining admission of a user equipment (UE) includes the steps: the gNB-DU receiving a connection request from a UE; in response to a determination that the gNB-DU is not able to serve the UE, sending an initial uplink radio resource control (UL RRC) message that does not include a configuration for signaling radio bearer 1 (SRB1) from the gNB-DU to the gNB-CU; in response to receiving, at the gNB-CU, the UL RRC message that does not include the configuration for SRB1, responding to the gNB-DU with a radio resource control (RRC) ConnectionReject message; and transmitting the RRC ConnectionReject message from the gNB-DU to the UE to reject the UE.