A method and system for pre-configuring a UE with timing advance for use in communication with a handover target. When a UE is being served by a source base station, the source base station transmits to a target base station a measurement request that specifies an uplink reference signal that the UE will provide, and the target base station evaluates that uplink reference signal to determine a timing advance for the UE and reports the timing advance in a response to the source base station. As the source base station then directs the UE to hand over to the target base station, the source base station then provides the UE with an indication of the timing advance provided by the target base station. The UE may then transition to be served by the target base station and to make use of the indicated timing advance.