diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index baac6516076c16fa9fe61d9e1b1be0987de1209d..34c6f7410a9c3d5a1ee5136c0d43397d04428716 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@
 /*#define SPLIT_REND_WITH_HEAD_ROT  */                  /* Dlb,FhG: Split Rendering contributions 21 and 35 */
 
 #define FIX_1033_MEMORY_LEAK_OMASA                      /* Nokia / Orange: issue #1033: Memory leak in OMASA to BINAURAL with HRTF with bitrate switching */
+#define FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER                          /* VA: issue 1043: JBM MD handle allocation is avoided in non-JBM EXT operations */
+
 
 /* #################### End BE switches ################################## */
 
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
index b92dc19ded7ef196f99d67780c825c4ed31b047b..7858a2d80cd17a06f4c70f63b0e0b99c9fbd7a8b 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
@@ -2262,7 +2262,11 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder(
         }
     }
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+    if ( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
     if ( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL )
+#endif
     {
         if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
         {
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
index e022c35212e5038879dd5778103497da82ce5103..e6a2ee3194b708ba39bee12170f83bacd137ba5a 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
@@ -214,7 +214,11 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc(
                 return error;
             }
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            if ( output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
             if ( output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
+#endif
             {
                 ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
             }
@@ -413,7 +417,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc(
                 ivas_omasa_render_objects_from_mix( st_ivas, p_output, st_ivas->nchan_ism, output_frame );
             }
 
-            ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#endif
+            {
+                ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
+            }
         }
     }
     else if ( st_ivas->ivas_format == SBA_ISM_FORMAT )
@@ -812,7 +821,11 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer(
     {
         ivas_jbm_dec_td_renderers_adapt_subframes( st_ivas );
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+        if ( ( st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT || st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
         if ( ( st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT || st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
+#endif
         {
             ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
         }
@@ -897,7 +910,13 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer(
         if ( st_ivas->renderer_type == RENDERER_OMASA_MIX_EXT || st_ivas->renderer_type == RENDERER_OMASA_OBJECT_EXT )
         {
             ivas_jbm_dec_td_renderers_adapt_subframes( st_ivas );
-            ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
+
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#endif
+            {
+                ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
+            }
         }
         else
         {