diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 08db6430653373c758d4b8e43a2e08e5c0c5f759..ab4557ca9071586c80107caddf01ee38d474bbb7 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_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 */
 #define FIX_2272_OOB_INDEXING_IN_LTP_PIT_SEARCH         /* FhG: fix OOB index USAN error in TCX LTP pitch search */
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_sce_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_sce_dec.c
index 8bbe0f421cda7744f5c4c6e13ea6b630303c225c..3c853a047af71d9605d6c8911e3f1001965135e2 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_sce_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_sce_dec.c
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ ivas_error create_sce_dec(
 
     hSCE->sce_id = sce_id;
     hSCE->element_brate = element_brate;
+#ifdef FIX_1481_CLANG18_MSAN_INIT_LAST_ELEM_BRATE
+    hSCE->last_element_brate = hSCE->element_brate;
+#endif
 
     set_f( hSCE->prev_hb_synth, 0.0f, NS2SA( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_Fs, IVAS_DEC_DELAY_NS - DELAY_BWE_TOTAL_NS ) );