diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index ab4557ca9071586c80107caddf01ee38d474bbb7..fb505d58f481299bb6523091c5fb389dfbd5ef51 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -162,6 +162,7 @@
 /*#define FIX_I4_OL_PITCH*/                             /* fix open-loop pitch used for EVS core switching */
 #define TMP_1342_WORKAROUND_DEC_FLUSH_BROKEN_IN_SR      /* FhG: Temporary workaround for incorrect implementation of decoder flush with split rendering */
 #define NONBE_1122_KEEP_EVS_MODE_UNCHANGED              /* FhG: Disables fix for issue 1122 in EVS mode to keep BE tests green. This switch should be removed once the 1122 fix is added to EVS via a CR.  */
+#define FIX_CLANG18_MSAN_IN_DEC_INIT_BY_MOVING_COMMON_INITS_TOGETHER /* FhG: fix CLANG18 MSAN error in decoder init */
 #define FIX_1481_CLANG18_MSAN_INIT_LAST_ELEM_BRATE      /* FhG: initialize last_element_brate to avoid CLANG18 MSAN complaint */
 #define FIX_1484_CLANG18_MSAN_INIT_ST_ELEM_BRATE        /* FhG: initialize st->element_brate per default */
 #define FIX_1464_UBSAN_RC_CONTEXT_MAP                   /* FhG: BE UBSAN fix for float issue 1464 in the TCX range coder */
diff --git a/lib_dec/lib_dec.c b/lib_dec/lib_dec.c
index 8ffb9ba776eb91803a0fe84839af6d5e46191b5c..17342a454a8dbd8c28acdf6ade2e3088f8eb1236 100644
--- a/lib_dec/lib_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/lib_dec.c
@@ -219,36 +219,48 @@ ivas_error IVAS_DEC_Open(
     st_ivas->restartNeeded = 0;
 
     /* set high-level parameters */
+#ifdef FIX_CLANG18_MSAN_IN_DEC_INIT_BY_MOVING_COMMON_INITS_TOGETHER
+
+    st_ivas->codec_mode = 0; /* unknown before first frame */
+    st_ivas->transport_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
+    st_ivas->intern_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
+    st_ivas->writeFECoffset = 0;
+    st_ivas->sba_analysis_order = 0; /* not really used in EVS mode, but initialize here to fix MSAN complaint */
+#endif
+
     if ( mode == IVAS_DEC_MODE_EVS )
     {
+#ifndef FIX_CLANG18_MSAN_IN_DEC_INIT_BY_MOVING_COMMON_INITS_TOGETHER
         st_ivas->codec_mode = 0; /* unknown before first frame */
-        st_ivas->element_mode_init = EVS_MONO;
-        st_ivas->ivas_format = MONO_FORMAT;
         st_ivas->transport_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
         st_ivas->intern_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
         st_ivas->writeFECoffset = 0;
+#endif
+        st_ivas->element_mode_init = EVS_MONO;
+        st_ivas->ivas_format = MONO_FORMAT;
         hIvasDec->hasDecodedFirstGoodFrame = true; /* Functionality to suppress output for initial lost frames is disabled in EVS operation */
 
         return IVAS_ERR_OK;
     }
     else if ( mode == IVAS_DEC_MODE_IVAS )
     {
+#ifndef FIX_CLANG18_MSAN_IN_DEC_INIT_BY_MOVING_COMMON_INITS_TOGETHER
         st_ivas->codec_mode = 0; /* unknown before first frame */
-        st_ivas->element_mode_init = -1;
-        st_ivas->ivas_format = UNDEFINED_FORMAT;
         st_ivas->transport_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
         st_ivas->intern_config = IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_INVALID;
+        st_ivas->writeFECoffset = 0;
+#endif
+        st_ivas->element_mode_init = -1;
+        st_ivas->ivas_format = UNDEFINED_FORMAT;
         st_ivas->renderer_type = RENDERER_DISABLE;
         st_ivas->ini_frame = 0;
         st_ivas->ini_active_frame = 0;
-        st_ivas->writeFECoffset = 0;
 
         st_ivas->ism_mode = ISM_MODE_NONE;
         st_ivas->mc_mode = MC_MODE_NONE;
 
         st_ivas->sba_order = 0;
         st_ivas->sba_planar = 0;
-        st_ivas->sba_analysis_order = 0;
 
         return IVAS_ERR_OK;
     }