A method (300) and apparatus (200) for radio link failure recovery is disclosed. The method may include receiving (340), at a mobile station (110), an assignment of a random access preamble from a first cell (140) for use in at least one potential reestablishment cell (150). The method may include determining (360) that a radio link failure has occurred after receiving the assignment of the random access preamble. The method may include transmitting (370) the random access preamble to one of the at least one potential reestablishment cells in response to determining that the radio link failure has occurred.