diff --git a/tests/test_26444.py b/tests/test_26444.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..148b135223fb71ae7d4451c8906dd345ad1ac47a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_26444.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+__copyright__ = """
+(C) 2022-2023 IVAS codec Public Collaboration with portions copyright Dolby International AB, Ericsson AB,
+Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Huawei Technologies Co. LTD.,
+Koninklijke Philips N.V., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Nokia Technologies Oy, Orange,
+Panasonic Holdings Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., VoiceAge Corporation, and other
+contributors to this repository. All Rights Reserved.
+
+This software is protected by copyright law and by international treaties.
+The IVAS codec Public Collaboration consisting of Dolby International AB, Ericsson AB,
+Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der angewandten Forschung e.V., Huawei Technologies Co. LTD.,
+Koninklijke Philips N.V., Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, Nokia Technologies Oy, Orange,
+Panasonic Holdings Corporation, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., VoiceAge Corporation, and other
+contributors to this repository retain full ownership rights in their respective contributions in
+the software. This notice grants no license of any kind, including but not limited to patent
+license, nor is any license granted by implication, estoppel or otherwise.
+
+Contributors are required to enter into the IVAS codec Public Collaboration agreement before making
+contributions.
+
+This software is provided "AS IS", without any express or implied warranties. The software is in the
+development stage. It is intended exclusively for experts who have experience with such software and
+solely for the purpose of inspection. All implied warranties of non-infringement, merchantability
+and fitness for a particular purpose are hereby disclaimed and excluded.
+
+Any dispute, controversy or claim arising under or in relation to providing this software shall be
+submitted to and settled by the final, binding jurisdiction of the courts of Munich, Germany in
+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.
+"""
+
+__doc__ = """
+Execute tests specified via a parameter file.
+"""
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+import filecmp
+import subprocess
+import pytest
+
+test_dict = {}
+TEST_DIR = "evs_be_test" 
+scripts=["Readme_AMRWB_IO_dec.txt", "Readme_AMRWB_IO_enc.txt", "Readme_EVS_dec.txt","Readme_EVS_enc.txt", "Readme_JBM_dec.txt"]
+for s in scripts:
+    with open(os.path.join(TEST_DIR, s), "r", encoding="UTF-8") as fp:
+        tag = ""
+        enc_opts = ""
+        dec_opts = ""
+        diff_opts  = ""
+        for line in fp.readlines():
+            if line.startswith("$ENC_BIN"):
+                enc_opts = line
+            if line.startswith("$DEC_BIN"):
+                dec_opts = line
+            if line.startswith("$DIFF_BIN"):
+                diff_opts = line[9:]
+                tag = s + "--" + diff_opts.split()[1].split('/')[-1]
+                if tag in test_dict:
+                    print("non-unique tag found - ignoring new entry")
+                    continue                
+                test_dict[tag] = (enc_opts, dec_opts, diff_opts)
+                tag = ""
+                enc_opts = ""
+                dec_opts = ""
+                diff_opts  = ""
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("test_tag", list(test_dict.keys()))
+def test_evs_26444(test_tag):
+
+    enc_opts, dec_opts, diff_opts = test_dict[test_tag]
+
+    if enc_opts:
+        enc_opts = enc_opts.replace("./", TEST_DIR + "/")
+        subprocess.run(["./IVAS_cod"] + enc_opts.split()[1:])
+    if dec_opts:
+        dec_opts = dec_opts.replace("./", TEST_DIR + "/")
+        subprocess.run(["./IVAS_dec"] + dec_opts.split()[1:])    
+        
+    diff_opts = diff_opts.replace("./", TEST_DIR + "/")
+    if ';' in diff_opts:
+        cmd1, cmd2 = diff_opts.split(';')
+        cmd1 = cmd1.split()
+        cmd2 = cmd2.split()        
+        result1 = filecmp.cmp(cmd1[0], cmd1[1])
+        result2 = filecmp.cmp(cmd2[2], cmd2[3])
+    else:
+        cmd1 = diff_opts.split()
+        result1 = filecmp.cmp(cmd1[0], cmd1[1])
+        result2 = True
+    if not (result1 and result2):
+        assert False, "Output differs" 
+
+          
+        
\ No newline at end of file