Transitioning to cell DCH RRC state to report application-level measurement

According to one example embodiment, a method in a user equipment, UE, includes receiving a request from a radio access network for a measurement report for an application operating at a layer above a radio resource control, RRC, protocol layer. The UE generates the measurement report in response to the request and determines a current RRC connected state of the UE when the measurement report is ready to be sent. In response to determining that the current RRC connected state of the UE is not a CELL_DCH RRC state, the UE sends a cell update message to the radio access network and receives instructions from the radio access network to transition to the CELL_DCH RRC state. The UE transitions to the CELL_DCH RRC state and transmits the measurement report while the UE is in the CELL_DCH RRC state. Related user equipment nodes, radio access nodes and methods are disclosed.