A method for instructing a data plane entity to handle signaling messages, the method comprising: establishing (1110, 2110), in a control plane entity (1100, 2100), an instruction for reacting to a specific incoming signaling message on the data plane with at least one corresponding outgoing message on the data plane, and providing (1120, 2120) the established instruction from the control plane entity (1100, 2100) to a data plane entity for instructing the data plane entity (1200, 2200) to react to the specific incoming signaling message with the at least one corresponding outgoing message in accordance with the established instruction, characterized in that the specific incoming signaling message on the data plane is received via a GTP-U tunnel, and the at least one corresponding outgoing message on the data plane is to be issued via the GTP-U tunnel, and the instruction instructs the data plane entity to build a GTP-U echo response message of response message type, as the at least one corresponding outgoing message, which is a response message responsive to a GTP-U echo request message of request message type, as the specific incoming signaling message, and to issue the GTP-U echo response message on the data plane towards a destination corresponding to a source of the GTP-U echo request message, and wherein the instruction comprises a command set for transforming the GTP-U echo request message into the GTP-U echo response message by replacing a request message type with a response message type, and swapping source and destination internet protocol addresses, swapping source and destination internet protocol ports, swapping source and destination user datagram protocol ports, replacing a tunnel endpoint identifier, adding or replacing a private extension information element, and pushing a recovery information element. establishing (1110, 2110), in a control plane entity (1100, 2100), an instruction for reacting to a specific incoming signaling message on the data plane with at least one corresponding outgoing message on the data plane, and providing (1120, 2120) the established instruction from the control plane entity (1100, 2100) to a data plane entity for instructing the data plane entity (1200, 2200) to react to the specific incoming signaling message with the at least one corresponding outgoing message in accordance with the established instruction, characterized in that the specific incoming signaling message on the data plane is received via a GTP-U tunnel, and the at least one corresponding outgoing message on the data plane is to be issued via the GTP-U tunnel, and the instruction instructs the data plane entity to build a GTP-U echo response message of response message type, as the at least one corresponding outgoing message, which is a response message responsive to a GTP-U echo request message of request message type, as the specific incoming signaling message, and to issue the GTP-U echo response message on the data plane towards a destination corresponding to a source of the GTP-U echo request message, and wherein the instruction comprises a command set for transforming the GTP-U echo request message into the GTP-U echo response message by replacing a request message type with a response message type, and swapping source and destination internet protocol addresses, swapping source and destination internet protocol ports, swapping source and destination user datagram protocol ports, replacing a tunnel endpoint identifier, adding or replacing a private extension information element, and pushing a recovery information element. replacing a request message type with a response message type, and swapping source and destination internet protocol addresses, swapping source and destination internet protocol ports, swapping source and destination user datagram protocol ports, replacing a tunnel endpoint identifier, adding or replacing a private extension information element, and pushing a recovery information element.