diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 8ae36580e81d7977ee19a57531df3e6553a597b9..0a58d7d06f97d0656ba9161ce741d03739fb71dc 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@
 #define ALLRAD_OPTIM                                    /* Issue 159: Optimize memory allocation for ALLRAD */
 #define FIX_I178_HQ_BUFFER_OVERRUN                      /* issue 178: Buffer overrun in HQ core decoder -- spectral filling buffer did not account for extended transition frame in IVAS */
 #define PRINT_SBA_ORDER                                 /* Issue 179: print-out also the SBA order of IVAS SBA format to stdout */
+
+#define SPAR_STEREO_NO_DIRAC                            /* Issue 180: skip DirAC processing channels for stereo output */
+
 #define AGC_TUNING_IMPROVEMENT                          /* Issue 168: Enable AGC for low bit rate (1 TC) */
 #ifdef AGC_TUNING_IMPROVEMENT
 #define AGC_ENABLE_FOR_LBR                              /* Issue 168: Enable AGC for low bit rate (1 TC) */
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
index e3849dfbe090ca8d8e305af266eb324b2064b5eb..3250fe05cbc889f52c0500ef11582c5eedfb7d77 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
@@ -790,7 +790,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder(
                     return error;
                 }
 
-                if ( hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_FOA )
+                if ( hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_FOA
+#ifdef SPAR_STEREO_NO_DIRAC
+                     && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_STEREO 
+                     && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_MONO
+#endif
+                    )
                 {
                     if ( ( error = ivas_dirac_dec_open( st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
                     {
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_output_init.c b/lib_dec/ivas_output_init.c
index 307b29e74a147d3ea893ad3e04c02acbd9a1e8f4..3b65756ad600cd15bf83bbe0f3f5a8c3d47ac7ea 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_output_init.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_output_init.c
@@ -515,6 +515,12 @@ void ivas_renderer_select(
             {
                 *internal_config = output_config;
             }
+#ifdef SPAR_STEREO_NO_DIRAC
+            else if ( output_config == AUDIO_CONFIG_MONO || output_config == AUDIO_CONFIG_STEREO )
+            {
+                *internal_config = AUDIO_CONFIG_FOA;
+            }
+#endif
             else
             {
                 *internal_config = AUDIO_CONFIG_HOA3;
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_spar_decoder.c b/lib_dec/ivas_spar_decoder.c
index eea34b31dcd9d68fabd84932cd77a4a59a6538d2..a51e941548654f7c345afd82041ee7e811fa5a14 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_spar_decoder.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_spar_decoder.c
@@ -1146,7 +1146,12 @@ void ivas_spar_dec_upmixer(
             }
         }
 
-        if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_FOA )
+        if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_FOA 
+#ifdef SPAR_STEREO_NO_DIRAC
+            && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_STEREO 
+            && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config != AUDIO_CONFIG_MONO
+#endif
+            )
         {
             ivas_dirac_dec( st_ivas, output, nchan_internal, cldfb_in_ts_re, cldfb_in_ts_im, i_sf );
         }