diff --git a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
index 91d84db..a08938c 100644
--- a/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
+++ b/openbsc/include/openbsc/gsm_data.h
@@ -19,6 +19,11 @@
 
 #define OBSC_LINKID_CB(__msgb)	(__msgb)->cb[3]
 
+enum gsm_subscr_creation_mode {
+	GSM_SUBSCR_DONT_CREATE = 0,
+	GSM_SUBSCR_CREAT_W_RAND_EXT = 1,
+};
+
 enum gsm_security_event {
 	GSM_SECURITY_NOAVAIL,
 	GSM_SECURITY_AUTH_FAILED,
@@ -278,7 +283,7 @@
 	struct osmo_bsc_data *bsc_data;
 
 	/* subscriber related features */
-	int create_subscriber;
+	int subscr_creation_mode;
 	struct gsm_subscriber_group *subscr_group;
 	struct gsm_sms_queue *sms_queue;
 
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libbsc/net_init.c b/openbsc/src/libbsc/net_init.c
index 568a0b8..afcaaf3 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libbsc/net_init.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libbsc/net_init.c
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@
 	INIT_LLIST_HEAD(&net->bsc_data->mscs);
 
 	net->subscr_group->net = net;
-	net->create_subscriber = 1;
+	net->subscr_creation_mode = GSM_SUBSCR_CREAT_W_RAND_EXT;
 
 	net->country_code = country_code;
 	net->network_code = network_code;
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
index f02f784..0f00db1 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libmsc/gsm_04_08.c
@@ -507,6 +507,14 @@
 	return gsm48_conn_sendmsg(msg, conn, NULL);
 }
 
+static struct gsm_subscriber *subscr_create(const struct gsm_network *net,
+					    const char *imsi)
+{
+	if (net->subscr_creation_mode != GSM_SUBSCR_DONT_CREATE)
+		return subscr_create_subscriber(net->subscr_group, imsi);
+
+	return NULL;
+}
 
 /* Parse Chapter 9.2.11 Identity Response */
 static int mm_rx_id_resp(struct gsm_subscriber_connection *conn, struct msgb *msg)
@@ -530,9 +538,8 @@
 		if (!conn->subscr) {
 			conn->subscr = subscr_get_by_imsi(net->subscr_group,
 							  mi_string);
-			if (!conn->subscr && net->create_subscriber)
-				conn->subscr = subscr_create_subscriber(
-					net->subscr_group, mi_string);
+			if (!conn->subscr)
+				conn->subscr = subscr_create(net, mi_string);
 		}
 		if (!conn->subscr && conn->loc_operation) {
 			gsm0408_loc_upd_rej(conn, bts->network->reject_cause);
@@ -641,10 +648,9 @@
 
 		/* look up subscriber based on IMSI, create if not found */
 		subscr = subscr_get_by_imsi(bts->network->subscr_group, mi_string);
-		if (!subscr && bts->network->create_subscriber) {
-			subscr = subscr_create_subscriber(
-				bts->network->subscr_group, mi_string);
-		}
+		if (!subscr)
+			subscr = subscr_create(bts->network, mi_string);
+
 		if (!subscr) {
 			gsm0408_loc_upd_rej(conn, bts->network->reject_cause);
 			release_loc_updating_req(conn, 0);
diff --git a/openbsc/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c b/openbsc/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
index 4c2088a..5d74e04 100644
--- a/openbsc/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
+++ b/openbsc/src/libmsc/vty_interface_layer3.c
@@ -1036,7 +1036,7 @@
       "Make a new record when a subscriber is first seen.\n")
 {
 	struct gsm_network *gsmnet = gsmnet_from_vty(vty);
-	gsmnet->create_subscriber = 1;
+	gsmnet->subscr_creation_mode = GSM_SUBSCR_CREAT_W_RAND_EXT;
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@
       NO_STR "Make a new record when a subscriber is first seen.\n")
 {
 	struct gsm_network *gsmnet = gsmnet_from_vty(vty);
-	gsmnet->create_subscriber = 0;
+	gsmnet->subscr_creation_mode = GSM_SUBSCR_DONT_CREATE;
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;
 }
 
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@
 	struct gsm_network *gsmnet = gsmnet_from_vty(vty);
 	vty_out(vty, "nitb%s", VTY_NEWLINE);
 	vty_out(vty, " %ssubscriber-create-on-demand%s",
-		gsmnet->create_subscriber ? "" : "no ", VTY_NEWLINE);
+		gsmnet->subscr_creation_mode ? "" : "no ", VTY_NEWLINE);
 	vty_out(vty, " %sassign-tmsi%s",
 		gsmnet->avoid_tmsi ? "no " : "", VTY_NEWLINE);
 	return CMD_SUCCESS;