Management of bearers in a communication system. A network may establish for a user equipment device (UE) a first bearer of a first type. Thereafter, upon establishment of a bearer of a second type for the UE, the network may automatically release the first bearer of the first type. In turn, when the UE finishes communication on the bearer of the second type, the network may not only release that bearer of the second type but may automatically establish for the UE a second bearer of the first type.