diff --git a/lib_com/ivas_cnst.h b/lib_com/ivas_cnst.h
index abf0e1f663a0076bc04cee7d25dcdb4a8ccda9e1..dbaf718348609e10c448b388d28e19e214383763 100644
--- a/lib_com/ivas_cnst.h
+++ b/lib_com/ivas_cnst.h
@@ -836,6 +836,9 @@ typedef enum {
 #define SBA_MIN_BRATE_HOA                       IVAS_256k
 #define SBA_NHARM_HOA3                          16
 #define SBA_T_DESIGN_11_SIZE                    70
+#ifdef FIX_SBA_DTX_DECODE_ERROR
+#define SBA_DTX_BITRATE_THRESHOLD               IVAS_80k
+#endif
 
 typedef enum 
 {
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index deb1f92ac29075845e927f840afcd5a803e34d12..9bdbbc81aad8448ff940a6a3c2bf795c0c91c3fb 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@
 #endif
 #define FIX_I173_I174                                   /* Issues 173 and 174: Remove frame and subframe index from ISm metadata and headtracking respectively. */
 #define FIX_TCX_DEC_RECONF_BFI
+#define FIX_SBA_DTX_DECODE_ERROR                        /* Issue 176: SBA decoder error with DTX at 80kbps SWB, Issue 21: SBA front-VAD threshold (203) */
 
 /* ################## End DEVELOPMENT switches ######################### */
 /* clang-format on */
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_front_vad.c b/lib_enc/ivas_front_vad.c
index 1d18af77618cb3559500afb8fd06dd1e2f34b1cd..62eeee5a021b49f148e1b2b73f6dfb4175699f18 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_front_vad.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_front_vad.c
@@ -396,7 +396,11 @@ ivas_error front_vad_spar(
     hFrontVad = hSpar->hFrontVad;
     st = hSpar->hCoreCoderVAD;
 
+#ifdef FIX_SBA_DTX_DECODE_ERROR
+    if ( hEncoderConfig->Opt_DTX_ON && hEncoderConfig->ivas_total_brate <= SBA_DTX_BITRATE_THRESHOLD )
+#else
     if ( hEncoderConfig->Opt_DTX_ON && hEncoderConfig->ivas_total_brate <= IVAS_80k )
+#endif
     {
         /*------------------------------------------------------------------*
          * Initialization
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_spar_encoder.c b/lib_enc/ivas_spar_encoder.c
index 1beab643d5ba0985d7b74e3d48f0db402c95b8c1..6c82fc423092f32c4211397f1cf75a5cc61b9754 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_spar_encoder.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_spar_encoder.c
@@ -319,8 +319,13 @@ ivas_error ivas_spar_enc(
 
     *nb_bits_metadata = hMetaData->nb_bits_tot;
 
+#ifdef FIX_SBA_DTX_DECODE_ERROR
+    /* Force IVAS front pre-proc decision for higher bitrates */
+    if ( hEncoderConfig->ivas_total_brate > SBA_DTX_BITRATE_THRESHOLD || hEncoderConfig->Opt_DTX_ON == 0 )
+#else
     /* temp hack to not force IVAS front pre-proc decision for higher bitrates */
     if ( hEncoderConfig->ivas_total_brate > IVAS_64k || hEncoderConfig->Opt_DTX_ON == 0 )
+#endif
     {
         st_ivas->hSpar->front_vad_flag = 0;
     }