diff --git a/lib_com/ivas_ism_com.c b/lib_com/ivas_ism_com.c
index 344f346d474405ff1e7199235380252c08a5759b..69cfd10b0725bb33ecf468a6a2de88e12ca4843f 100644
--- a/lib_com/ivas_ism_com.c
+++ b/lib_com/ivas_ism_com.c
@@ -596,13 +596,17 @@ ISM_MODE ivas_ism_mode_select(
  * ---------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 void ivas_ism_metadata_close(
-    ISM_METADATA_HANDLE hIsmMetaData[], /* i/o  : object metadata handles            */
-    const int16_t first_idx             /* i  : index of first handle to deallocate  */
+    ISM_METADATA_HANDLE hIsmMetaData[], /* i/o: object metadata handles             */
+    const int16_t first_idx             /* i  : index of first handle to deallocate */
 )
 {
     int16_t n;
 
+#ifdef FIX_852_FIX_HANDLE_DEREF
+    if ( hIsmMetaData == NULL || *hIsmMetaData == NULL )
+#else
     if ( hIsmMetaData == NULL || hIsmMetaData == NULL )
+#endif
     {
         return;
     }
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index bf8f5631671b0ec14db624c5aa3f4f0eaffdc8b6..c7af60bf39339b008620426570457ee1ac44f0b3 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
 
 #define FIX_854_ARRAY_SIZE_MISMATCH                     /* VA: issue 854: correct the mismatch between definition and declaration of `ivas_core_dec() */
 #define FIX_785_REMOVE_DEAD_CODE                        /* VA: issue 785: remove dead code */
+#define FIX_852_FIX_HANDLE_DEREF                        /* VA: issue 852: Fix missing handle dereferencing of hIsmMetadaData in ivas_ism_metadata_close() */
 
 
 /* #################### End BE switches ################################## */