diff --git a/includes/default-variables.yml b/includes/default-variables.yml
index 2774c578ba79b4182014d9a7071649b110dae633..6329664102945f6734e9e5a8179e46df00fd30f2 100644
--- a/includes/default-variables.yml
+++ b/includes/default-variables.yml
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ variables:
   GIT_CLEAN_FLAGS: -ffdxq
   TESTCASE_TIMEOUT_STV_SANITIZERS: 240
   TESTCASE_TIMEOUT_LTV_SANITIZERS: 2400
-  BASOP_REFERENCE_BRANCH: "ivas-float-update"
   SCALE_FACTOR: "3.162"
   BASOP_CI_BRANCH_PC_REPO: "basop-ci-branch"
   PYTEST_ADDOPTS: ""
diff --git a/main-basop.yml b/main-basop.yml
index 003f2d50d0ca1d1a5489f277659ddef9569e2015..25eda0833e642a2b2c50120a6d129c23c6b46d22 100644
--- a/main-basop.yml
+++ b/main-basop.yml
@@ -428,11 +428,9 @@ workflow:
     -   bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/apply-testv-scaling.sh
     - fi
 
-    - echo "$FLOAT_REF_BRANCH - $FLOAT_REF_BRANCH_MERGE_SOURCE - $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME - $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME"
     # build merge target branch and correpsonding float reference
     - bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh float-ref
     - source "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/build-merge-target-binaries.sh
-    - echo "$FLOAT_REF_BRANCH - $FLOAT_REF_BRANCH_MERGE_SOURCE - $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME - $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME"
     # build to-be-merged branch and corresponding float ref branch
     - bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh dut
     - bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh float-ref-merge-source
@@ -851,6 +849,7 @@ branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre:
   tags:
     - ivas-basop-linux
   script:
+    - bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/update-scripts-repo.sh
     - source "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre.sh
   artifacts:
     paths:
diff --git a/snippets/basop/activate-debug-mode-info-if-set.sh b/snippets/basop/activate-debug-mode-info-if-set.sh
index 589d8e413ae33da40686ffd64d69b20fe6ec9103..261dbc07802497041ce360801d2d15dd035c8746 100755
--- a/snippets/basop/activate-debug-mode-info-if-set.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/activate-debug-mode-info-if-set.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,6 @@
 
 set -euxo pipefail
 
-cd "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"
-
 if [ "$BUILD_WITH_DEBUG_MODE_INFO" = "true" ]; then
   sed -i.bak -e "s/\/\*\ *\(#define\ *DEBUGGING\ *\)\*\//\1/g" lib_com/options.h
   sed -i.bak -e "s/\/\*\ *\(#define\ *DEBUG_MODE_INFO\ *\)\*\//\1/g" lib_com/options.h
diff --git a/snippets/basop/branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre.sh b/snippets/basop/branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre.sh
index 08a0b8b2890a4be53ea2f4a75782305c3d3b164d..8ec1d8cb98d4d8f9b544143371725f788d380b96 100644
--- a/snippets/basop/branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/branch-is-up-to-date-with-target-pre.sh
@@ -30,42 +30,50 @@
 
 set -euxo pipefail
 
-float_ref_branchname="ivas-float-update"
+float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec="main"
 exit_code_follows_naming_conventions=0
 # if branch does not follow the convention, there will be a printout which is irrelevant here, so redirect it to null
 bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/branch-follows-porting-naming-convention.sh $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME >>/dev/null || exit_code_follows_naming_conventions=$?
 # if this branch follows the naming convetions, we can try to get the corresponding float MR branch
 # if this branch does NOT follow the porting naming convention, the float ref is just ivas-float-update, so skip everything
 if [[ "$exit_code_follows_naming_conventions" == "0" ]]; then
-  float_ref_branchname=$(${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME)
+  float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec=$(${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME)
 fi
 
-# fetch all needed branches
+# fetch merge target and check if we are up-to-date
 git fetch origin "$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME"
-git fetch origin ivas-float-update
-git fetch origin "$float_ref_branchname"
 
-# then check if we are behind the merge target
 commits_behind_count="$(bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/get-commits-behind-count.sh)"
 if [ $commits_behind_count -ne 0 ]; then
   echo -e "Your branch is $commits_behind_count commits behind the target branch, run\n\tgit pull origin $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME\nto update."
   exit 1
 fi
 
+# if we are up-to-date, store the commit SHA for all branches
+
+MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME")"
+# to get the commit SHAs for the float reference branches, we need to get the main branch from float repo
+# below here we will be in the float repo!
+pushd "${SCRIPTS_DIR}"
+git remote set-branches --add origin "$float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec"
+git fetch origin "$float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec"
+
+MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/$float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec")"
+FLOAT_REF_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/main")"
+popd
+
 # stop echoing from here on, this is anyway only dbg printout
 set +x
 
-# if we are up-to-date, store the commit SHA's for all branches
-MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/$CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME")"
-echo "MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT is $MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT"
+echo "CI_COMMIT_SHA (on this branch $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_SOURCE_BRANCH_NAME) is $CI_COMMIT_SHA"
+
+echo "MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT (on branch $CI_MERGE_REQUEST_TARGET_BRANCH_NAME) is $MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT"
 echo "$MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT" >"$MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT_FILE"
 
-MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/$float_ref_branchname")"
-echo "MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT is $MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
+echo "MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT (on branch $float_ref_branchname_in_ivas_codec in ivas-codec repo) is $MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
 echo "$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT" >"$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT_FILE"
 
-FLOAT_REF_COMMIT="$(git rev-parse "origin/ivas-float-update")"
-echo "FLOAT_REF_COMMIT is $FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
+echo "FLOAT_REF_COMMIT (on branch main in ivas-codec repo) is $FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
 echo "$FLOAT_REF_COMMIT" >"$FLOAT_REF_COMMIT_FILE"
 
 # create commits.env file for passing the variables to other jobs
diff --git a/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh b/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh
index d1eb687d5a5b3a8c09e6fc96f829eb1db7d8fed8..7a0f23ba81f55a1eebafe18311e06fd9ae73aeda 100755
--- a/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/build-binaries.sh
@@ -2,13 +2,12 @@
 
 set -euxo pipefail
 
-cd "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"
-
 mode="${1:-}"
 
 case "$mode" in
 float-ref)
   ref_to_check_out="$FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
+  working_dir="$SCRIPTS_DIR"
   ivas_cod_filename="./$REF_ENCODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_dec_filename="./$REF_DECODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_rend_filename="./$REF_RENDERER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
@@ -17,6 +16,7 @@ float-ref)
   ;;
 float-ref-merge-source)
   ref_to_check_out="$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_COMMIT"
+  working_dir="$SCRIPTS_DIR"
   ivas_cod_filename="./$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_ENCODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_dec_filename="./$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_DECODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_rend_filename="./$MERGE_SOURCE_FLOAT_REF_RENDERER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ float-ref-merge-source)
   ;;
 merge-target)
   ref_to_check_out="$MERGE_TARGET_COMMIT"
+  working_dir="$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
   ivas_cod_filename="./$MERGE_TARGET_ENCODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_dec_filename="./$MERGE_TARGET_DECODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_rend_filename="./$MERGE_TARGET_RENDERER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ merge-target)
   ;;
 dut)
   ref_to_check_out="$CI_COMMIT_SHA"
+  working_dir="$CI_PROJECT_DIR"
   ivas_cod_filename="./$DUT_ENCODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_dec_filename="./$DUT_DECODER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
   ivas_rend_filename="./$DUT_RENDERER_PATH_FOR_BUILD_DO_NOT_MODIFY"
@@ -47,7 +49,9 @@ esac
 
 echo "Building $mode binaries from branch $ref_to_check_out"
 
-current_commit_sha="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
+# for float ref stuff, we need the ivas-codec repo which is persistently stored on the runners
+# working_dir is set as per input argument
+pushd "$working_dir"
 
 restore_stash() {
   if [[ "$(git stash list)" != "" ]]; then
@@ -56,10 +60,14 @@ restore_stash() {
 }
 trap restore_stash EXIT
 
+# the git SHA and stash restoring mechanisms is not really necessary for float-ref branches, but also should not harm, so no if here
+current_commit_sha="$(git rev-parse HEAD)"
+
 # store potential changes
 # should never fail, even if there is nothing to be stored
 git stash
 
+git fetch origin "$ref_to_check_out"
 git checkout "$ref_to_check_out"
 
 bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/activate-debug-mode-info-if-set.sh
@@ -68,12 +76,18 @@ make clean
 make -j "$(nproc)"
 
 # avoid errors in mv when renaming to same file
-mv IVAS_cod "$ivas_cod_filename"
-mv IVAS_dec "$ivas_dec_filename"
-mv IVAS_rend "$ivas_rend_filename"
-if [ -f ISAR_post_rend ]; then mv ISAR_post_rend "$isar_post_rend_filename"; fi
+mv IVAS_cod "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/${ivas_cod_filename}"
+mv IVAS_dec "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/${ivas_dec_filename}"
+mv IVAS_rend "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/${ivas_rend_filename}"
+mv ISAR_post_rend "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/${isar_post_rend_filename}"
 
 # return to current branch
 git restore .
 git rev-parse HEAD >"$commit_file"
 git checkout "$current_commit_sha"
+
+# this used to be a TRAP for EXIT before, but now with the popd at the end, we might not be in the corresponding git repo anymore at EXIT
+# we keep the trap to clean up incase of some error and additionally this is called manually here now
+restore_stash
+
+popd
diff --git a/snippets/basop/check-float-ref-companion-branch-exists-for-porting-merge-requests.sh b/snippets/basop/check-float-ref-companion-branch-exists-for-porting-merge-requests.sh
index 9ed3ae846c3851819d5b5483593c51c50284bb6d..2af00333d23e026102dfd69ade63cdb4dd75f474 100644
--- a/snippets/basop/check-float-ref-companion-branch-exists-for-porting-merge-requests.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/check-float-ref-companion-branch-exists-for-porting-merge-requests.sh
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@
 # accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany excluding its conflict of law rules and
 # the United Nations Convention on Contracts on the International Sales of Goods.
 
-set -euo pipefail
-
 MSG_NO_FLOAT_REF_BRANCH_FOUND="Your branch name %s looks like it is a porting MR, but there is no corresponding float merge request (%s).
 If this is intended (nothing to port to ivas-float-update), simply ignore this warning.
 If there should be a float ref branch for this MR, please check your spelling on your other branch and make sure that you pushed it.\n
 "
 
+set -euxo pipefail
+
 exit_code_is_porting_mr=0
 bash "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/branch-follows-porting-naming-convention.sh "$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME" || exit_code_is_porting_mr=$?
 
@@ -43,10 +43,11 @@ if [ "$exit_code_is_porting_mr" == "1" ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
-# if this does indeed look like a porting branch, get the float companion branch - if that is ivas-float-update, then warn about possible typo/missing branch
+# if this does indeed look like a porting branch, get the float companion branch - if that is the default, then warn about possible typo/missing branch
 float_ref_branchname=$(${CI_PROJECT_DIR}/ivas-codec-ci/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh $CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME)
-if [ "$float_ref_branchname" == "ivas-float-update" ]; then
+if [ "$float_ref_branchname" == "main" ]; then
   expected_float_ref_branch="${CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME/basop/ref}"
+  set +x
   printf "$MSG_NO_FLOAT_REF_BRANCH_FOUND" "$CI_COMMIT_REF_NAME" "$expected_float_ref_branch"
   exit 123
 fi
diff --git a/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh b/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh
index b1c20988bde549a9dcfde9d348acaa77a8677d6b..6ba19f93cf6d20df08ef0dcb8d7b86745d9a7345 100755
--- a/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/get-float-ref-branch-name.sh
@@ -28,29 +28,38 @@
 # accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany excluding its conflict of law rules and
 # the United Nations Convention on Contracts on the International Sales of Goods.
 
-# NOTE: this does not check e.g. for float_ref_branchname actually existing and will silently return ivas-float-update if not
-#       Use branch-follows-porting-naming-convention.sh for that
-
 set -euo pipefail
 
+# in this snippet, always print stuff to stderr and ONLY the final echo with of branchname_out should go to stdout
+exec 3>&1 # save stdout on file desc 3
+exec 1>&2 # send all stdout to stderr
+
 if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
   echo "Usage: $0 <branchname>"
   exit 1
 fi
 
 branchname_in="$1"
-branchname_out="ivas-float-update"
+# Note: this is ivas-codec ("float") main
+branchname_out="main"
 
 # The float ref branch is just the same name, but with basop -> ref replacement
 # Replace only the first occurrence, as "basop" may be present in the later description
 # If the format is correct, then before "_basop", only numbers can occur
 float_ref_branchname="${branchname_in/basop/ref}"
-git_result=$(git branch -a)
 
-# If the branch does not exist, default to "ivas-float-update"
-if [[ "$git_result" =~ "$float_ref_branchname" ]]; then
+# now check in ivas-codec repository if a branch with this name exists
+exit_code_ls_remote=0
+pushd "${SCRIPTS_DIR}"
+git fetch origin
+git ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin refs/heads/$float_ref_branchname || exit_code_ls_remote=$?
+popd
+
+# If the branch exists, we use it as ref name instead of main
+# NOTE: "git ls-remote --exit-code" returns 2 if the given ref was not found
+if [ "$exit_code_ls_remote" -eq "0" ]; then
   branchname_out="${float_ref_branchname}"
 fi
 
-echo "$branchname_out"
+printf '%s\n' "$branchname_out" >&3
 exit 0
diff --git a/snippets/basop/update-scripts-repo.sh b/snippets/basop/update-scripts-repo.sh
index 1a4a21d923427964ec9eb9d3c08ac7a262c285dd..47a1cb88143f8eff87effee899a5a6c72eaaf35c 100755
--- a/snippets/basop/update-scripts-repo.sh
+++ b/snippets/basop/update-scripts-repo.sh
@@ -6,11 +6,13 @@ cd "${CI_PROJECT_DIR}"
 
 pushd "${SCRIPTS_DIR}"
 
- # Remove all fetch lines to clean out dead links
+# Remove all fetch lines to clean out dead links
 sed -i '/fetch/d' .git/config
 
-# Add currently used branch
-git remote set-branches --add origin "$BASOP_CI_BRANCH_PC_REPO"
+# Add currently used branches:
+#   - BASOP_CI_BRANCH_PC_REPO for scripts/tests
+#   - main for getting the float ref codec
+git remote set-branches --add origin "$BASOP_CI_BRANCH_PC_REPO" main
 
 git fetch