According to some embodiments, a method for early data transmission performed by a wireless device comprises: obtaining, from a non-access stratum (NAS) communication layer, an initial NAS protocol data unit (PDU) for early data transmission; determining, by a radio resource control (RRC) communication layer, to initiate early data transmission based at least in part on a size of the initial NAS PDU; and transmitting an early data transmission including the initial NAS PDU.