diff --git a/srsue/hdr/stack/mac/mac.h b/srsue/hdr/stack/mac/mac.h
index 044e5a478..66bd0c0ca 100644
--- a/srsue/hdr/stack/mac/mac.h
+++ b/srsue/hdr/stack/mac/mac.h
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ private:
 
   mac_metrics_t metrics[SRSRAN_MAX_CARRIERS] = {};
 
-  bool initialized = false;
+  std::atomic<bool> initialized = {false};
 
   const uint8_t PCELL_CC_IDX = 0;
 };
diff --git a/srsue/src/stack/mac/mac.cc b/srsue/src/stack/mac/mac.cc
index dcd504949..ecd283490 100644
--- a/srsue/src/stack/mac/mac.cc
+++ b/srsue/src/stack/mac/mac.cc
@@ -473,11 +473,11 @@ void mac::process_pdus()
   // dispatch work to stack thread
   auto ret = stack_task_dispatch_queue.try_push([this]() {
     bool have_data = true;
-    while (initialized and have_data) {
+    while (initialized.load(std::memory_order_relaxed) and have_data) {
       have_data = demux_unit.process_pdus();
     }
   });
-  if (ret.is_error()) {
+  if (ret.is_error() && initialized.load(std::memory_order_relaxed)) {
     Warning("Failed to dispatch mac::%s task to stack thread", __func__);
   }
 }