Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatus for improving service recovery using communications systems operating according to new radio (NR) technologies. For example, a method may include receiving an uplink transmission from a user equipment (UE) with a Cell Radio Network Temporary Identifier (C-RNTI), determining the C-RNTI lacks context at the network entity, and signaling, in response to the determination, an indication of an immediate C-RNTI release to the UE.