diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/transaction.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/transaction.h
index 50c3cc5da..90a008bdc 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/transaction.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/transaction.h
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ struct gsm_trans {
 	/* To whom we belong, unique identifier of remote MM entity */
 	struct gsm_subscriber *subscr;
 
-	/* The LCHAN that we're currently using to transmit messages */
-	struct gsm_lchan *lchan;
+	/* The associated connection we are using to transmit messages */
+	struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn;
 
 	/* reference from MNCC or other application */
 	u_int32_t callref;
@@ -71,6 +71,6 @@ int trans_assign_trans_id(struct gsm_subscriber *subscr,
 
 /* update all transactions to use a different LCHAN, e.g.
  * after handover has succeeded */
-int trans_lchan_change(struct gsm_lchan *lchan_old,
-		       struct gsm_lchan *lchan_new);
+int trans_lchan_change(struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn_old,
+		       struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn_new);
 #endif
diff --git a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08.c b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08.c
index d3e487307..2376c63b2 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08.c
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ static int gsm0408_handle_lchan_signal(unsigned int subsys, unsigned int signal,
 	 * only set trans->lchan to NULL and wait for another lchan to be
 	 * established to the same MM entity (phone/subscriber) */
 	llist_for_each_entry_safe(trans, temp, &lchan->ts->trx->bts->network->trans_list, entry) {
-		if (trans->lchan == lchan)
+		if (trans->conn && trans->conn->lchan == lchan)
 			trans_free(trans);
 	}
 
@@ -1071,12 +1071,12 @@ static int mncc_recvmsg(struct gsm_network *net, struct gsm_trans *trans,
 	struct msgb *msg;
 
 	if (trans)
-		if (trans->lchan)
+		if (trans->conn)
 			DEBUGP(DCC, "(bts %d trx %d ts %d ti %x sub %s) "
 				"Sending '%s' to MNCC.\n",
-				trans->lchan->ts->trx->bts->nr,
-				trans->lchan->ts->trx->nr,
-				trans->lchan->ts->nr, trans->transaction_id,
+				trans->conn->lchan->ts->trx->bts->nr,
+				trans->conn->lchan->ts->trx->nr,
+				trans->conn->lchan->ts->nr, trans->transaction_id,
 				(trans->subscr)?(trans->subscr->extension):"-",
 				get_mncc_name(msg_type));
 		else
@@ -1125,8 +1125,8 @@ void _gsm48_cc_trans_free(struct gsm_trans *trans)
 	}
 	if (trans->cc.state != GSM_CSTATE_NULL)
 		new_cc_state(trans, GSM_CSTATE_NULL);
-	if (trans->lchan)
-		trau_mux_unmap(&trans->lchan->ts->e1_link, trans->callref);
+	if (trans->conn)
+		trau_mux_unmap(&trans->conn->lchan->ts->e1_link, trans->callref);
 }
 
 static int gsm48_cc_tx_setup(struct gsm_trans *trans, void *arg);
@@ -1139,7 +1139,6 @@ static int setup_trig_pag_evt(unsigned int hooknum, unsigned int event,
 	struct gsm_subscriber *subscr = param;
 	struct gsm_trans *transt, *tmp;
 	struct gsm_network *net;
-	struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn;
 
 	if (hooknum != GSM_HOOK_RR_PAGING)
 		return -EINVAL;
@@ -1152,11 +1151,9 @@ static int setup_trig_pag_evt(unsigned int hooknum, unsigned int event,
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	conn = &lchan->conn;
-
 	/* check all tranactions (without lchan) for subscriber */
 	llist_for_each_entry_safe(transt, tmp, &net->trans_list, entry) {
-		if (transt->subscr != subscr || transt->lchan)
+		if (transt->subscr != subscr || transt->conn)
 			continue;
 		switch (event) {
 		case GSM_PAGING_SUCCEEDED:
@@ -1165,9 +1162,9 @@ static int setup_trig_pag_evt(unsigned int hooknum, unsigned int event,
 			DEBUGP(DCC, "Paging subscr %s succeeded!\n",
 				subscr->extension);
 			/* Assign lchan */
-			if (!transt->lchan) {
-				transt->lchan = lchan;
-				use_subscr_con(conn);
+			if (!transt->conn) {
+				transt->conn = &lchan->conn;
+				use_subscr_con(transt->conn);
 			}
 			/* send SETUP request to called party */
 			gsm48_cc_tx_setup(transt, &transt->cc.msg);
@@ -1212,7 +1209,7 @@ static int handle_abisip_signal(unsigned int subsys, unsigned int signal,
 		 * a tch_recv_mncc request pending */
 		net = lchan->ts->trx->bts->network;
 		llist_for_each_entry(trans, &net->trans_list, entry) {
-			if (trans->lchan == lchan && trans->tch_recv) {
+			if (trans->conn && trans->conn->lchan == lchan && trans->tch_recv) {
 				DEBUGP(DCC, "pending tch_recv_mncc request\n");
 				tch_recv_mncc(net, trans->callref, 1);
 			}
@@ -1285,11 +1282,11 @@ static int tch_bridge(struct gsm_network *net, u_int32_t *refs)
 	if (!trans1 || !trans2)
 		return -EIO;
 
-	if (!trans1->lchan || !trans2->lchan)
+	if (!trans1->conn || !trans2->conn)
 		return -EIO;
 
 	/* through-connect channel */
-	return tch_map(trans1->lchan, trans2->lchan);
+	return tch_map(trans1->conn->lchan, trans2->conn->lchan);
 }
 
 /* enable receive of channels to MNCC upqueue */
@@ -1304,9 +1301,9 @@ static int tch_recv_mncc(struct gsm_network *net, u_int32_t callref, int enable)
 	trans = trans_find_by_callref(net, callref);
 	if (!trans)
 		return -EIO;
-	if (!trans->lchan)
+	if (!trans->conn)
 		return 0;
-	lchan = trans->lchan;
+	lchan = trans->conn->lchan;
 	bts = lchan->ts->trx->bts;
 
 	switch (bts->type) {
@@ -2502,7 +2499,7 @@ static int _gsm48_lchan_modify(struct gsm_trans *trans, void *arg)
 {
 	struct gsm_mncc *mode = arg;
 
-	return gsm48_lchan_modify(trans->lchan, mode->lchan_mode);
+	return gsm48_lchan_modify(trans->conn->lchan, mode->lchan_mode);
 }
 
 static struct downstate {
@@ -2574,7 +2571,6 @@ int mncc_send(struct gsm_network *net, int msg_type, void *arg)
 	struct gsm_lchan *lchan = NULL;
 	struct gsm_bts *bts = NULL;
 	struct gsm_mncc *data = arg, rel;
-	struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn;
 
 	/* handle special messages */
 	switch(msg_type) {
@@ -2589,18 +2585,18 @@ int mncc_send(struct gsm_network *net, int msg_type, void *arg)
 		trans = trans_find_by_callref(net, data->callref);
 		if (!trans)
 			return -EIO;
-		if (!trans->lchan)
+		if (!trans->conn)
 			return 0;
-		if (trans->lchan->type != GSM_LCHAN_TCH_F)
+		if (trans->conn->lchan->type != GSM_LCHAN_TCH_F)
 			return 0;
-		bts = trans->lchan->ts->trx->bts;
+		bts = trans->conn->lchan->ts->trx->bts;
 		switch (bts->type) {
 		case GSM_BTS_TYPE_NANOBTS:
-			if (!trans->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket)
+			if (!trans->conn->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket)
 				return 0;
-			return rtp_send_frame(trans->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket, arg);
+			return rtp_send_frame(trans->conn->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket, arg);
 		case GSM_BTS_TYPE_BS11:
-			return trau_send_frame(trans->lchan, arg);
+			return trau_send_frame(trans->conn->lchan, arg);
 		default:
 			DEBUGP(DCC, "Unknown BTS type %u\n", bts->type);
 		}
@@ -2706,12 +2702,13 @@ int mncc_send(struct gsm_network *net, int msg_type, void *arg)
 			return 0;
 		}
 		/* Assign lchan */
-		trans->lchan = lchan;
-		conn = &lchan->conn;
-		use_subscr_con(conn);
+		trans->conn = &lchan->conn;
+		use_subscr_con(trans->conn);
 		subscr_put(subscr);
 	}
-	lchan = trans->lchan;
+
+	if (trans->conn)
+		lchan = trans->conn->lchan;
 
 	/* if paging did not respond yet */
 	if (!lchan) {
@@ -2730,12 +2727,11 @@ int mncc_send(struct gsm_network *net, int msg_type, void *arg)
 		return rc;
 	}
 
-	conn = &lchan->conn;
 	DEBUGP(DCC, "(bts %d trx %d ts %d ti %02x sub %s) "
 		"Received '%s' from MNCC in state %d (%s)\n",
 		lchan->ts->trx->bts->nr, lchan->ts->trx->nr, lchan->ts->nr,
 		trans->transaction_id,
-		(conn->subscr)?(conn->subscr->extension):"-",
+		(trans->conn->subscr)?(trans->conn->subscr->extension):"-",
 		get_mncc_name(msg_type), trans->cc.state,
 		gsm48_cc_state_name(trans->cc.state));
 
@@ -2851,8 +2847,8 @@ static int gsm0408_rcv_cc(struct msgb *msg)
 			return -ENOMEM;
 		}
 		/* Assign transaction */
-		trans->lchan = lchan;
-		use_subscr_con(conn);
+		trans->conn = &lchan->conn;
+		use_subscr_con(trans->conn);
 	}
 
 	/* find function for current state and message */
diff --git a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08_utils.c b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08_utils.c
index 4871f6039..ed3f9052f 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08_utils.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_08_utils.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ int gsm48_sendmsg(struct msgb *msg, struct gsm_trans *trans)
 	 * work that the caller no longer has to do */
 	if (trans) {
 		gh->proto_discr = trans->protocol | (trans->transaction_id << 4);
-		msg->lchan = trans->lchan;
+		msg->lchan = trans->conn->lchan;
 	}
 
 	if (msg->lchan) {
diff --git a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_11.c b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_11.c
index 4b5936491..5f541ce9f 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/gsm_04_11.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/gsm_04_11.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ static int gsm411_cp_sendmsg(struct msgb *msg, struct gsm_trans *trans,
 	gh->msg_type = msg_type;
 
 	/* assign the outgoing lchan */
-	msg->lchan = trans->lchan;
+	msg->lchan = trans->conn->lchan;
 
 	/* mobile originating */
 	switch (gh->msg_type) {
@@ -770,7 +770,7 @@ static int gsm411_rx_rp_ack(struct msgb *msg, struct gsm_trans *trans,
 static int gsm411_rx_rp_error(struct msgb *msg, struct gsm_trans *trans,
 			      struct gsm411_rp_hdr *rph)
 {
-	struct gsm_network *net = trans->lchan->ts->trx->bts->network;
+	struct gsm_network *net = trans->conn->lchan->ts->trx->bts->network;
 	struct gsm_sms *sms = trans->sms.sms;
 	u_int8_t cause_len = rph->data[0];
 	u_int8_t cause = rph->data[1];
@@ -941,8 +941,8 @@ int gsm0411_rcv_sms(struct msgb *msg, u_int8_t link_id)
 		trans->sms.is_mt = 0;
 		trans->sms.link_id = link_id;
 
-		trans->lchan = lchan;
-		use_subscr_con(&lchan->conn);
+		trans->conn = &lchan->conn;
+		use_subscr_con(trans->conn);
 	}
 
 	switch(msg_type) {
@@ -1074,8 +1074,8 @@ int gsm411_send_sms_lchan(struct gsm_lchan *lchan, struct gsm_sms *sms)
 	trans->sms.sms = sms;
 	trans->sms.link_id = UM_SAPI_SMS;	/* FIXME: main or SACCH ? */
 
-	trans->lchan = lchan;
-	use_subscr_con(&lchan->conn);
+	trans->conn = &lchan->conn;
+	use_subscr_con(trans->conn);
 
 	/* Hardcode SMSC Originating Address for now */
 	data = (u_int8_t *)msgb_put(msg, 8);
diff --git a/openbsc/src/handover_logic.c b/openbsc/src/handover_logic.c
index acb3aa106..7fb0b13e1 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/handover_logic.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/handover_logic.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ static int ho_gsm48_ho_compl(struct gsm_lchan *new_lchan)
 	bsc_del_timer(&ho->T3103);
 
 	/* update lchan pointer of transaction */
-	trans_lchan_change(ho->old_lchan, new_lchan);
+	trans_lchan_change(&ho->old_lchan->conn, &new_lchan->conn);
 
 	ho->old_lchan->state = LCHAN_S_INACTIVE;
 	lchan_auto_release(ho->old_lchan);
diff --git a/openbsc/src/mncc.c b/openbsc/src/mncc.c
index 01d59aad1..afd53644e 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/mncc.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/mncc.c
@@ -332,16 +332,16 @@ static int mncc_rcv_tchf(struct gsm_call *call, int msg_type,
 	remote_trans = trans_find_by_callref(call->net, call->remote_ref);
 
 	/* this shouldn't really happen */
-	if (!remote_trans || !remote_trans->lchan) {
+	if (!remote_trans || !remote_trans->conn) {
 		LOGP(DMNCC, LOGL_ERROR, "No transaction or transaction without lchan?!?\n");
 		return -EIO;
 	}
 
 	/* RTP socket of remote end has meanwhile died */
-	if (!remote_trans->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket)
+	if (!remote_trans->conn->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket)
 		return -EIO;
 
-	return rtp_send_frame(remote_trans->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket, dfr);
+	return rtp_send_frame(remote_trans->conn->lchan->abis_ip.rtp_socket, dfr);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/openbsc/src/transaction.c b/openbsc/src/transaction.c
index 95075566b..5e0d50796 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/transaction.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/transaction.c
@@ -95,10 +95,10 @@ void trans_free(struct gsm_trans *trans)
 		break;
 	}
 
-	if (trans->lchan)
-		put_subscr_con(&trans->lchan->conn);
+	if (trans->conn)
+		put_subscr_con(trans->conn);
 
-	if (!trans->lchan && trans->subscr && trans->subscr->net) {
+	if (!trans->conn && trans->subscr && trans->subscr->net) {
 		/* Stop paging on all bts' */
 		paging_request_stop(NULL, trans->subscr, NULL);
 	}
@@ -148,25 +148,22 @@ int trans_assign_trans_id(struct gsm_subscriber *subscr,
 
 /* update all transactions to use a different LCHAN, e.g.
  * after handover has succeeded */
-int trans_lchan_change(struct gsm_lchan *lchan_old,
-		       struct gsm_lchan *lchan_new)
+int trans_lchan_change(struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn_old,
+		       struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn_new)
 {
-	struct gsm_network *net = lchan_old->ts->trx->bts->network;
+	struct gsm_network *net = conn_old->lchan->ts->trx->bts->network;
 	struct gsm_trans *trans;
 	int num = 0;
 
 	llist_for_each_entry(trans, &net->trans_list, entry) {
-		if (trans->lchan == lchan_old) {
-			struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn;
+		if (trans->conn == conn_old) {
 
 			/* drop old channel use count */
-			conn = &trans->lchan->conn;
-			put_subscr_con(conn);
+			put_subscr_con(conn_old);
 			/* assign new channel */
-			trans->lchan = lchan_new;
+			trans->conn = conn_new;
 			/* bump new channel use count */
-			conn = &trans->lchan->conn;
-			use_subscr_con(conn);
+			use_subscr_con(conn_new);
 			num++;
 		}
 	}