diff --git a/openbsc/src/abis_rsl.c b/openbsc/src/abis_rsl.c
index a50d7aa..72ae9db 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/abis_rsl.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/abis_rsl.c
@@ -918,6 +918,8 @@
 	if (rslh->ie_chan != RSL_IE_CHAN_NR)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	msg->lchan->state = LCHAN_S_ACTIVE;
+
 	dispatch_signal(SS_LCHAN, S_LCHAN_ACTIVATE_ACK, msg->lchan);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -938,6 +940,8 @@
 		print_rsl_cause(TLVP_VAL(&tp, RSL_IE_CAUSE),
 				TLVP_LEN(&tp, RSL_IE_CAUSE));
 
+	msg->lchan->state = LCHAN_S_NONE;
+
 	dispatch_signal(SS_LCHAN, S_LCHAN_ACTIVATE_NACK, msg->lchan);
 
 	lchan_free(msg->lchan);
@@ -1022,6 +1026,11 @@
 	const u_int8_t *val;
 	int rc;
 
+	/* check if this channel is actually active */
+	/* FIXME: maybe this check should be way more generic/centralized */
+	if (msg->lchan->state != LCHAN_S_ACTIVE)
+		return 0;
+
 	memset(mr, 0, sizeof(*mr));
 	mr->lchan = msg->lchan;
 
@@ -1128,6 +1137,7 @@
 		break;
 	case RSL_MT_RF_CHAN_REL_ACK:
 		DEBUGPC(DRSL, "RF CHANNEL RELEASE ACK\n");
+		msg->lchan->state = LCHAN_S_NONE;
 		lchan_free(msg->lchan);
 		break;
 	case RSL_MT_MODE_MODIFY_ACK: