Systems and methods for processing a Random Access (RA) transmission are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method of operating a radio access node in a cellular communications network includes receiving an RA transmission from a wireless device. The method also includes detecting an RA preamble in the RA transmission from the wireless device and estimating a timing parameter of the wireless device using the RA transmission from the wireless device separately from detecting the RA preamble. By estimating the timing parameter separately from detecting the RA preamble, increased detection of the RA preamble is possible while also increasing the precision of the timing parameter estimate. In some embodiments, this separation also enables a complexity reduction of the receiver if a low complexity detector is used first and then the high complexity timing estimator is only used when an RA preamble is detected.