diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh_configuration_server.c b/src/mesh/mesh_configuration_server.c
index a53fddb5d..2e9b558bb 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh_configuration_server.c
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh_configuration_server.c
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ static void config_heartbeat_publication_emit(mesh_heartbeat_publication_t * mes
         uint8_t data[3];
         data[0] = mesh_heartbeat_publication->ttl;
         big_endian_store_16(data, 1, mesh_heartbeat_publication->active_features);
-        uint8_t status = mesh_upper_transport_setup_control_pdu((mesh_pdu_t *) network_pdu, mesh_heartbeat_publication->netkey_index,
+        uint8_t status = mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(network_pdu, mesh_heartbeat_publication->netkey_index,
                 mesh_heartbeat_publication->ttl, mesh_node_get_primary_element_address(), mesh_heartbeat_publication->destination,
                 MESH_TRANSPORT_OPCODE_HEARTBEAT, data, sizeof(data));
         if (status){
diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.c b/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.c
index 325924a0b..66de4bbfa 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.c
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.c
@@ -1055,10 +1055,11 @@ void mesh_upper_transport_send_control_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu){
     mesh_upper_transport_run();
 }
 
-static uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(mesh_network_pdu_t * network_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode,
+uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(mesh_network_pdu_t * network_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode,
                                                                   const uint8_t * control_pdu_data, uint16_t control_pdu_len){
 
-    if (control_pdu_len > 11) return 1;
+    btstack_assert(network_pdu != NULL);
+    btstack_assert(control_pdu_len <= 11);
 
     const mesh_network_key_t * network_key = mesh_network_key_list_get(netkey_index);
     if (!network_key) return 1;
@@ -1069,15 +1070,13 @@ static uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(mesh_network_p
     uint16_t transport_pdu_len = control_pdu_len + 1;
 
     // setup network_pdu
+    network_pdu->pdu_header.pdu_type = MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_UNSEGMENTED_CONTROL;
     mesh_network_setup_pdu(network_pdu, netkey_index, network_key->nid, 1, ttl, 0, src, dest, transport_pdu_data, transport_pdu_len);
 
     return 0;
 }
 
-static uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu(mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * upper_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode,
-                                                                const uint8_t * control_pdu_data, uint16_t control_pdu_len){
-
-    if (control_pdu_len > 256) return 1;
+uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu_header(mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * upper_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode){
 
     const mesh_network_key_t * network_key = mesh_network_key_list_get(netkey_index);
     if (!network_key) return 1;
@@ -1088,30 +1087,9 @@ static uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu(mesh_upper_trans
     upper_pdu->dst = dest;
     upper_pdu->netkey_index = netkey_index;
     upper_pdu->akf_aid_control = opcode;
-
-    // allocate segments
-    btstack_linked_list_t free_segments = NULL;
-    bool ok = mesh_segmented_allocate_segments( &free_segments, control_pdu_len);
-    if (!ok) return 1;
-    // store control pdu
-    mesh_segmented_store_payload(control_pdu_data, control_pdu_len, &free_segments, &upper_pdu->segments);
-    upper_pdu->len = control_pdu_len;
     return 0;
 }
 
-uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_control_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu, uint16_t netkey_index,
-                                               uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode, const uint8_t * control_pdu_data, uint16_t control_pdu_len){
-    switch (pdu->pdu_type){
-        case MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_UNSEGMENTED_CONTROL:
-            return mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu((mesh_network_pdu_t *) pdu, netkey_index, ttl, src, dest, opcode, control_pdu_data, control_pdu_len);
-        case MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_SEGMENTED_CONTROL:
-            return mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu((mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t *) pdu,  netkey_index, ttl, src, dest, opcode, control_pdu_data, control_pdu_len);
-        default:
-            btstack_assert(0);
-            return 1;
-    }
-}
-
 static uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_upper_access_pdu_header(mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * upper_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index,
                                                                   uint16_t appkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t szmic){
 
diff --git a/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.h b/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.h
index c11441a38..3a83ad1b6 100644
--- a/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.h
+++ b/src/mesh/mesh_upper_transport.h
@@ -65,28 +65,28 @@ mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * mesh_upper_transport_message_finalize(mesh_upper_tr
 
 void mesh_upper_transport_init(void);
 
-void mesh_upper_transport_message_processed_by_higher_layer(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
-
-// Control PDUs
-
 void mesh_upper_transport_register_control_message_handler(void (*callback)(mesh_transport_callback_type_t callback_type, mesh_transport_status_t status, mesh_pdu_t * pdu));
 
-uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_control_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu, uint16_t netkey_index,
-        uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode, const uint8_t * control_pdu_data, uint16_t control_pdu_len);
-
-void mesh_upper_transport_send_control_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
-
-// Access PDUs
-
-
 void mesh_upper_transport_register_access_message_handler(void (*callback)(mesh_transport_callback_type_t callback_type, mesh_transport_status_t status, mesh_pdu_t * pdu));
 
+void mesh_upper_transport_message_processed_by_higher_layer(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
+
+void mesh_upper_transport_pdu_free(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
+
+// Control PDUs: setup and send
+uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(mesh_network_pdu_t * network_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode,
+                                                           const uint8_t * control_pdu_data, uint16_t control_pdu_len);
+
+uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu_header(mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * upper_pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t opcode);
+
+void mesh_upper_transport_send_control_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
+
+// Access PDUs: setup and send
 uint8_t mesh_upper_transport_setup_access_pdu_header(mesh_pdu_t * pdu, uint16_t netkey_index, uint16_t appkey_index,
                                                                uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src, uint16_t dest, uint8_t szmic);
 
 void mesh_upper_transport_send_access_pdu(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
 
-void mesh_upper_transport_pdu_free(mesh_pdu_t * pdu);
 
 // test
 void mesh_upper_transport_dump(void);
diff --git a/test/mesh/mesh_message_test.cpp b/test/mesh/mesh_message_test.cpp
index 9eb4b666b..6c1ca5ccf 100644
--- a/test/mesh/mesh_message_test.cpp
+++ b/test/mesh/mesh_message_test.cpp
@@ -498,14 +498,17 @@ void test_send_control_message(uint16_t netkey_index, uint8_t ttl, uint16_t src,
     mesh_pdu_t * pdu;
     if (transport_pdu_len < 12){
         // send as unsegmented control pdu
-        pdu = (mesh_pdu_t *) mesh_network_pdu_get();
-        pdu->pdu_type = MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_UNSEGMENTED_CONTROL;
+        mesh_network_pdu_t * network_pdu = mesh_network_pdu_get();
+        mesh_upper_transport_setup_unsegmented_control_pdu(network_pdu, netkey_index, ttl, src, dest, opcode, transport_pdu_data+1, transport_pdu_len-1);
+        pdu = (mesh_pdu_t *) network_pdu;
     } else {
-        // send as segmented control pdu
-        pdu = (mesh_pdu_t *) &upper_pdu;
-        upper_pdu.pdu_header.pdu_type = MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_SEGMENTED_CONTROL;
+        mesh_upper_transport_builder_t builder;
+        mesh_upper_transport_message_init(&builder, MESH_PDU_TYPE_UPPER_SEGMENTED_CONTROL);
+        mesh_upper_transport_message_add_data(&builder, transport_pdu_data+1, transport_pdu_len-1);
+        mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t * upper_pdu = (mesh_upper_transport_pdu_t *) mesh_upper_transport_message_finalize(&builder);
+        mesh_upper_transport_setup_segmented_control_pdu_header(upper_pdu, netkey_index, ttl, src, dest, opcode);
+        pdu = (mesh_pdu_t *) upper_pdu;
     }
-    mesh_upper_transport_setup_control_pdu(pdu, netkey_index, ttl, src, dest, opcode, transport_pdu_data+1, transport_pdu_len-1);
     mesh_upper_transport_send_control_pdu(pdu);
 
     // check for all network pdus