diff --git a/openbsc/src/abis_nm.c b/openbsc/src/abis_nm.c
index 38c8c2b..7a67fdf 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/abis_nm.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/abis_nm.c
@@ -599,6 +599,13 @@
 	}
 }
 
+int nm_is_running(struct gsm_nm_state *s) {
+	return (s->operational == NM_OPSTATE_ENABLED) && (
+		(s->availability == NM_AVSTATE_OK) ||
+		(s->availability == 0xff)
+	);
+}
+
 static void debugp_foh(struct abis_om_fom_hdr *foh)
 {
 	DEBUGP(DNM, "OC=%s(%02x) INST=(%02x,%02x,%02x) ",
diff --git a/openbsc/src/chan_alloc.c b/openbsc/src/chan_alloc.c
index 48f87f2..ab26fca 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/chan_alloc.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/chan_alloc.c
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@
 {
 	/* FIXME: How does this behave for BS-11 ? */
 	if (is_ipaccess_bts(ts->trx->bts)) {
-		if (ts->nm_state.operational != NM_OPSTATE_ENABLED ||
-		    ts->nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK)
+		if (!nm_is_running(&ts->nm_state))
 			return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -51,10 +50,8 @@
 {
 	/* FIXME: How does this behave for BS-11 ? */
 	if (is_ipaccess_bts(trx->bts)) {
-		if (trx->nm_state.operational != NM_OPSTATE_ENABLED ||
-		    trx->nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK ||
-		    trx->bb_transc.nm_state.operational != NM_OPSTATE_ENABLED ||
-		    trx->bb_transc.nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK)
+		if (!nm_is_running(&trx->nm_state) ||
+		    !nm_is_running(&trx->bb_transc.nm_state))
 			return 0;
 	}
 
@@ -380,8 +377,8 @@
 		int i;
 
 		/* skip administratively deactivated tranxsceivers */
-		if (trx->nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK ||
-		    trx->bb_transc.nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK)
+		if (!nm_is_running(&trx->nm_state) ||
+		    !nm_is_running(&trx->bb_transc.nm_state))
 			continue;
 
 		for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(trx->ts); i++) {
@@ -390,7 +387,7 @@
 			int j;
 
 			/* skip administratively deactivated timeslots */
-			if (ts->nm_state.availability != NM_AVSTATE_OK)
+			if (!nm_is_running(&ts->nm_state))
 				continue;
 
 			for (j = 0; j < subslots_per_pchan[ts->pchan]; j++) {