A method for handling signaling in a mobile communication system, the method comprising: receiving, at a network device (310; 505) a signaling message associated with a user from an origination signaling element (402; 502), the signaling message destined for a destination signaling element (406; 506); determining (410; 420; 520)), by the network device, whether or not to forward the signaling message to the destination signaling element based on previously stored information associated with the user and at least one rule for handling signaling; if it is determined not to forward the signaling message returning a response (440; 555) based on the previously stored information associated with the user to the origination signaling element without forwarding the signaling message; and if it is determined to forward the signaling message forwarding the signaling message to the destination signaling element (430; 530); receiving a response from the destination signaling element; returning the response to the origination signaling element; and storing information associated with the signaling message or the response received for use in handling further signaling messages associated with the user; wherein the at least one rule for handling signaling includes: upon determining that the signaling message associated with the user is received from the same origination signaling element as a previously received signaling message associated with the user, forwarding the received signaling message to the destination signaling element if the received signaling message is an authentication information request message, otherwise returning a response to the origination signaling message . receiving, at a network device (310; 505) a signaling message associated with a user from an origination signaling element (402; 502), the signaling message destined for a destination signaling element (406; 506); determining (410; 420; 520)), by the network device, whether or not to forward the signaling message to the destination signaling element based on previously stored information associated with the user and at least one rule for handling signaling; if it is determined not to forward the signaling message returning a response (440; 555) based on the previously stored information associated with the user to the origination signaling element without forwarding the signaling message; and if it is determined to forward the signaling message forwarding the signaling message to the destination signaling element (430; 530); receiving a response from the destination signaling element; returning the response to the origination signaling element; and storing information associated with the signaling message or the response received for use in handling further signaling messages associated with the user; wherein the at least one rule for handling signaling includes: upon determining that the signaling message associated with the user is received from the same origination signaling element as a previously received signaling message associated with the user, forwarding the received signaling message to the destination signaling element if the received signaling message is an authentication information request message, otherwise returning a response to the origination signaling message . <EOS>