Embodiments of the present disclosure describe techniques and configurations for transmitting small data payloads in a wireless communication network. An apparatus may include non-access stratum (NAS) circuitry configured to receive a trigger to send a data payload to a wireless communication network, the data payload having a size that is less than a preconfigured threshold, and generate a NAS message including the data payload and access stratum (AS) circuitry coupled with the NAS circuitry and configured to transmit the NAS message including the data payload to a node comprising a Mobility Management Entity (MME) or a Serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) Support Node (SGSN). Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.