diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
index 4d90ed744..90c263d24 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/bsc_nat.h
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ struct sccp_connections {
 	struct sccp_source_reference real_ref;
 	struct sccp_source_reference patched_ref;
 	struct sccp_source_reference remote_ref;
+	int has_remote_ref;
 
 	/* GSM audio handling. That is 32 * multiplex + ts */
 	int crcx;
diff --git a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
index d5ed7515b..52844276c 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_nat.c
@@ -444,7 +444,8 @@ static void remove_bsc_connection(struct bsc_connection *connection)
 		if (sccp_patch->bsc != connection)
 			continue;
 
-		nat_send_rlsd(sccp_patch);
+		if (sccp_patch->has_remote_ref)
+			nat_send_rlsd(sccp_patch);
 		sccp_connection_destroy(sccp_patch);
 	}
 
diff --git a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_sccp.c b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_sccp.c
index c422cc58c..344953167 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_sccp.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/nat/bsc_sccp.c
@@ -141,6 +141,7 @@ int update_sccp_src_ref(struct sccp_connections *sccp, struct bsc_nat_parsed *pa
 	}
 
 	sccp->remote_ref = *parsed->src_local_ref;
+	sccp->has_remote_ref = 1;
 	LOGP(DNAT, LOGL_DEBUG, "Updating 0x%x to remote 0x%x on %p\n",
 	     sccp_src_ref_to_int(&sccp->patched_ref),
 	     sccp_src_ref_to_int(&sccp->remote_ref), sccp->bsc);