diff --git a/include/l2/upper_mac.hpp b/include/l2/upper_mac.hpp
index 2b856df..887e895 100644
--- a/include/l2/upper_mac.hpp
+++ b/include/l2/upper_mac.hpp
@@ -24,9 +24,10 @@
 
 class UpperMac {
   public:
-    UpperMac(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter)
+    UpperMac() = delete;
+    UpperMac(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter, bool is_downlink)
         : reporter_(std::move(reporter))
-        , mobile_link_entity_(std::make_shared<MobileLinkEntity>(reporter_))
+        , mobile_link_entity_(std::make_shared<MobileLinkEntity>(reporter_, is_downlink))
         , logical_link_control_(std::make_unique<LogicalLinkControl>(reporter_, mobile_link_entity_)){};
     ~UpperMac() noexcept = default;
 
diff --git a/include/l3/mobile_link_entity.hpp b/include/l3/mobile_link_entity.hpp
index 2f2ac9e..fe446cd 100644
--- a/include/l3/mobile_link_entity.hpp
+++ b/include/l3/mobile_link_entity.hpp
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@
 
 class MobileLinkEntity {
   public:
-    explicit MobileLinkEntity(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter)
+    MobileLinkEntity() = delete;
+    MobileLinkEntity(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter, bool is_downlink)
         : reporter_(std::move(reporter))
         , cmce_(std::make_unique<CircuitModeControlEntity>(reporter_))
-        , mm_(std::make_unique<MobileManagement>()){};
+        , mm_(std::make_unique<MobileManagement>())
+        , is_downlink_(is_downlink){};
     ~MobileLinkEntity() noexcept = default;
 
     void service_DMle_system_info(BitVector& vec);
@@ -51,12 +53,12 @@ class MobileLinkEntity {
     uint8_t air_interface_encryption_service_ = 0;
     uint8_t advanced_link_supported_ = 0;
 
-    // this variable is set to true if sync is received. this is not available in uplink
-    bool is_downlink_ = false;
-
     std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter_{};
     std::unique_ptr<CircuitModeControlEntity> cmce_{};
     std::unique_ptr<MobileManagement> mm_{};
+
+    // Wheather this MLE is for decoding downlink or uplink data
+    const bool is_downlink_;
 };
 
 auto operator<<(std::ostream& stream, const MobileLinkEntity& mle) -> std::ostream&;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/l2/lower_mac.cpp b/src/l2/lower_mac.cpp
index faf8c3e..9f29073 100644
--- a/src/l2/lower_mac.cpp
+++ b/src/l2/lower_mac.cpp
@@ -10,11 +10,6 @@ LowerMac::LowerMac(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter, std::shared_ptr<Prometheu
                    std::optional<uint32_t> scrambling_code)
     : reporter_(reporter) {
     viter_bi_codec_1614_ = std::make_shared<ViterbiCodec>();
-    upper_mac_ = std::make_shared<UpperMac>(reporter_);
-
-    if (prometheus_exporter) {
-        metrics_ = std::make_unique<LowerMacPrometheusCounters>(prometheus_exporter);
-    }
 
     // For decoupled uplink processing we need to inject a scrambling code. Inject it into the correct place that would
     // normally be filled by a Synchronization Burst
@@ -22,6 +17,12 @@ LowerMac::LowerMac(std::shared_ptr<Reporter> reporter, std::shared_ptr<Prometheu
         sync_ = BroadcastSynchronizationChannel();
         sync_->scrambling_code = *scrambling_code;
     }
+
+    upper_mac_ = std::make_shared<UpperMac>(reporter_, /*is_downlink=*/!scrambling_code.has_value());
+
+    if (prometheus_exporter) {
+        metrics_ = std::make_unique<LowerMacPrometheusCounters>(prometheus_exporter);
+    }
 }
 
 static auto vectorAppend(const std::vector<uint8_t>& vec, std::vector<uint8_t>& res, std::size_t pos,