diff --git a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
index 02faa50..94d3036 100644
--- a/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
+++ b/include/osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns.h
@@ -97,6 +97,8 @@
 		uint32_t remote_ip;
 		uint16_t remote_port;
 		int dscp;
+		/*! IPA compatibility: NS-RESET/BLOCK/UNBLOCK even on IP-SNS */
+		bool use_reset_block_unblock;
 	} nsip;
 	/*! NS-over-FR-over-GRE-over-IP specific bits */
 	struct {
diff --git a/src/gb/gprs_ns.c b/src/gb/gprs_ns.c
index 4e584ad..f1b36f4 100644
--- a/src/gb/gprs_ns.c
+++ b/src/gb/gprs_ns.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@
 	nsvc->nsvci = nsvci;
 	nsvc->nsvci_is_valid = 1;
 	/* before RESET procedure: BLOCKED and DEAD */
-	if (nsi->bss_sns_fi)
+	if (nsi->bss_sns_fi || !nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock)
 		ns_set_state(nsvc, 0);
 	else
 		ns_set_state(nsvc, NSE_S_BLOCKED);
@@ -793,7 +793,7 @@
 			nsvc->nsi->timeout[NS_TOUT_TNS_ALIVE_RETRIES]) {
 			/* mark as dead (and blocked unless IP-SNS) */
 			rate_ctr_inc(&nsvc->ctrg->ctr[NS_CTR_DEAD]);
-			if (!nsvc->nsi->bss_sns_fi) {
+			if (!nsvc->nsi->bss_sns_fi && nsvc->nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock) {
 				ns_set_state(nsvc, NSE_S_BLOCKED);
 				rate_ctr_inc(&nsvc->ctrg->ctr[NS_CTR_BLOCKED]);
 			} else
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@
 				nsvc->nsi->timeout[NS_TOUT_TNS_ALIVE_RETRIES]);
 			ns_osmo_signal_dispatch(nsvc, S_NS_ALIVE_EXP, 0);
 			/* FIXME: should we send this signal in case of SNS? */
-			if (!nsvc->nsi->bss_sns_fi)
+			if (!nsvc->nsi->bss_sns_fi && nsvc->nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock)
 				ns_osmo_signal_dispatch(nsvc, S_NS_BLOCK, NS_CAUSE_NSVC_BLOCKED);
 			return;
 		}
@@ -1758,8 +1758,12 @@
 		 * fine. */
 		if ((*nsvc)->state == NSE_S_BLOCKED)
 			rc = gprs_nsvc_reset((*nsvc), NS_CAUSE_PDU_INCOMP_PSTATE);
-		else if (!((*nsvc)->state & NSE_S_RESET))
+		else if (!((*nsvc)->state & NSE_S_RESET)) {
+			/* if we're not alive, we cannot transmit the ACK; set ALIVE */
+			if (!((*nsvc)->state & NSE_S_ALIVE))
+				ns_mark_alive(*nsvc);
 			rc = gprs_ns_tx_alive_ack(*nsvc);
+		}
 		break;
 	case NS_PDUT_ALIVE_ACK:
 		ns_mark_alive(*nsvc);
@@ -1915,6 +1919,11 @@
 	llist_del(&nsi->unknown_nsvc->list);
 	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&nsi->unknown_nsvc->list);
 
+	/* By default we are in IPA compatible mode, that is we use NS-RESET, NS-BLOCK
+	 * and NS-UNBLOCK procedures even for an IP/UDP based Gb interface, in violation
+	 * of 3GPP TS 48.016. */
+	nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock = true;
+
 	return nsi;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/gb/gprs_ns_vty.c b/src/gb/gprs_ns_vty.c
index 9cffb71..bd53f2f 100644
--- a/src/gb/gprs_ns_vty.c
+++ b/src/gb/gprs_ns_vty.c
@@ -90,6 +90,32 @@
 
 	vty_out(vty, "ns%s", VTY_NEWLINE);
 
+	/* global configuration must be written first, as some of it may be
+	 * relevant when creating the NSE/NSVC later below */
+
+	if (vty_nsi->nsip.local_ip) {
+		ia.s_addr = osmo_htonl(vty_nsi->nsip.local_ip);
+		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp local-ip %s%s",
+			inet_ntoa(ia), VTY_NEWLINE);
+	}
+	if (vty_nsi->nsip.local_port)
+		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp local-port %u%s",
+			vty_nsi->nsip.local_port, VTY_NEWLINE);
+	if (vty_nsi->nsip.dscp)
+		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp dscp %d%s",
+			vty_nsi->nsip.dscp, VTY_NEWLINE);
+
+	vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp use-reset-block-unblock %s%s",
+		vty_nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock ? "enabled" : "disabled", VTY_NEWLINE);
+
+	vty_out(vty, " encapsulation framerelay-gre enabled %u%s",
+		vty_nsi->frgre.enabled ? 1 : 0, VTY_NEWLINE);
+	if (vty_nsi->frgre.local_ip) {
+		ia.s_addr = osmo_htonl(vty_nsi->frgre.local_ip);
+		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation framerelay-gre local-ip %s%s",
+			inet_ntoa(ia), VTY_NEWLINE);
+	}
+
 	llist_for_each_entry(nsvc, &vty_nsi->gprs_nsvcs, list) {
 		if (!nsvc->persistent)
 			continue;
@@ -130,26 +156,6 @@
 			get_value_string(gprs_ns_timer_strs, i),
 			vty_nsi->timeout[i], VTY_NEWLINE);
 
-	if (vty_nsi->nsip.local_ip) {
-		ia.s_addr = osmo_htonl(vty_nsi->nsip.local_ip);
-		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp local-ip %s%s",
-			inet_ntoa(ia), VTY_NEWLINE);
-	}
-	if (vty_nsi->nsip.local_port)
-		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp local-port %u%s",
-			vty_nsi->nsip.local_port, VTY_NEWLINE);
-	if (vty_nsi->nsip.dscp)
-		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation udp dscp %d%s",
-			vty_nsi->nsip.dscp, VTY_NEWLINE);
-
-	vty_out(vty, " encapsulation framerelay-gre enabled %u%s",
-		vty_nsi->frgre.enabled ? 1 : 0, VTY_NEWLINE);
-	if (vty_nsi->frgre.local_ip) {
-		ia.s_addr = osmo_htonl(vty_nsi->frgre.local_ip);
-		vty_out(vty, " encapsulation framerelay-gre local-ip %s%s",
-			inet_ntoa(ia), VTY_NEWLINE);
-	}
-
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -500,6 +506,21 @@
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+DEFUN(cfg_nsip_res_block_unblock, cfg_nsip_res_block_unblock_cmd,
+	"encapsulation udp use-reset-block-unblock (enabled|disabled)",
+	ENCAPS_STR "NS over UDP Encapsulation\n"
+	"Use NS-{RESET,BLOCK,UNBLOCK} procedures in violation of 3GPP TS 48.016\n"
+	"Enable NS-{RESET,BLOCK,UNBLOCK}\n"
+	"Disable NS-{RESET,BLOCK,UNBLOCK}\n")
+{
+	if (!strcmp(argv[0], "enabled"))
+		vty_nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock = true;
+	else
+		vty_nsi->nsip.use_reset_block_unblock = false;
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 DEFUN(cfg_frgre_local_ip, cfg_frgre_local_ip_cmd,
       "encapsulation framerelay-gre local-ip A.B.C.D",
 	ENCAPS_STR "NS over Frame Relay over GRE Encapsulation\n"
@@ -643,6 +664,7 @@
 	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_nsip_local_ip_cmd);
 	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_nsip_local_port_cmd);
 	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_nsip_dscp_cmd);
+	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_nsip_res_block_unblock_cmd);
 	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_frgre_enable_cmd);
 	install_element(L_NS_NODE, &cfg_frgre_local_ip_cmd);