In one aspect, a method for facilitating the transition of a wireless communication device, WCD, (102) from a CELL_FACH state to a CELL_DCH state is provided. In some embodiments, the method includes determining that the WCD (102) should transition from the CELL_FACH to the CELL_DCH cell state. The method further includes, in response to determining that the WCD should transition from the CELL_FACH to the CELL_DCH cell state, i) sending to the WCD (102) a first configuration message (302) for moving the WCD from the CELL_FACH state to the CELL_DCH state and ii) sending to the WCD a second configuration message (304) for forcing the WCD to obtain a common E-DCH resource or retain a previously obtained common E-DCH resource.