diff --git a/apps/decoder.c b/apps/decoder.c
index 2d6b3f7f1a37d471e0949fd56662f06e5dfeae83..a44fce5690b789d77d466ad2ce1b3bb76483ccac 100644
--- a/apps/decoder.c
+++ b/apps/decoder.c
@@ -593,6 +593,9 @@ static IVAS_DEC_AUDIO_CONFIG cmdline2config(
     char argv_to_upper[FILENAME_MAX];
 
     strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv, sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+    argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
     to_upper( argv_to_upper );
 
     if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "EXT" ) == 0 ) /* external renderer */
@@ -671,7 +674,9 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
     char argv_to_upper[FILENAME_MAX];
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
     float ftmp;
+#ifndef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
     char stmp[FILENAME_MAX];
+#endif
 
     arg->forcedRendMode = IVAS_DEC_FORCE_REND_UNFORCED;
     arg->forceSubframeBinauralization = false;
@@ -735,6 +740,9 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
     while ( argv[i][0] == '-' )
     {
         strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv[i], sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+        argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
         to_upper( argv_to_upper );
 
         if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "-VOIP" ) == 0 )
@@ -742,13 +750,21 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
             arg->voipMode = 1;
             i++;
         }
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+        else if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "-VOIP_HF_ONLY=0" ) == 0 )
+#else
         else if ( strcmp( to_upper( argv[i] ), "-VOIP_HF_ONLY=0" ) == 0 )
+#endif
         {
             arg->voipMode = 1;
             arg->inputFormat = IVAS_DEC_INPUT_FORMAT_RTPDUMP;
             i++;
         }
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+        else if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "-VOIP_HF_ONLY=1" ) == 0 )
+#else
         else if ( strcmp( to_upper( argv[i] ), "-VOIP_HF_ONLY=1" ) == 0 )
+#endif
         {
             arg->voipMode = 1;
             arg->inputFormat = IVAS_DEC_INPUT_FORMAT_RTPDUMP_HF;
@@ -821,8 +837,14 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
             i++;
             if ( i < argc - 3 )
             {
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+                strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv[i], sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+                argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+                arg->forcedRendMode = parseForcedRendModeDec( argv_to_upper );
+#else
                 strncpy( stmp, argv[i], sizeof( stmp ) );
                 arg->forcedRendMode = parseForcedRendModeDec( stmp );
+#endif
                 i++;
             }
         }
@@ -874,8 +896,30 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
                 usage_dec();
                 return false;
             }
+
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+            strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv[i + 1], sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+            argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+            to_upper( argv_to_upper );
+
+            if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "REF" ) == 0 )
+            {
+                arg->orientation_tracking = IVAS_PUBLIC_ORIENT_TRK_REF;
+            }
+            else if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "AVG" ) == 0 )
+            {
+                arg->orientation_tracking = IVAS_PUBLIC_ORIENT_TRK_AVG;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                fprintf( stderr, "Error: Invalid orientation tracking type %s \n\n", argv[i + 1] );
+                usage_dec();
+                return false;
+            }
+#else
             char tmp[4];
             strcpy( tmp, argv[i + 1] );
+
             if ( strcmp( to_upper( tmp ), "REF" ) == 0 )
             {
                 arg->orientation_tracking = IVAS_PUBLIC_ORIENT_TRK_REF;
@@ -890,6 +934,7 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
                 usage_dec();
                 return false;
             }
+#endif
             i += 2;
         }
         else if ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "-RENDER_CONFIG" ) == 0 )
@@ -916,6 +961,33 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
                 return false;
             }
 
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+            strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv[i], sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+            argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+            if ( ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "CENTER" ) == 0 ) || ( strchr( argv_to_upper, 'C' ) != NULL ) )
+            {
+                arg->no_diegetic_pan = 0.f;
+            }
+            else if ( ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "LEFT" ) == 0 ) || ( strchr( argv_to_upper, 'L' ) != NULL ) )
+            {
+                arg->no_diegetic_pan = -1.f;
+            }
+            else if ( ( strcmp( argv_to_upper, "RIGHT" ) == 0 ) || ( strchr( argv_to_upper, 'R' ) != NULL ) )
+            {
+                arg->no_diegetic_pan = 1.f;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                arg->no_diegetic_pan = (float) atof( argv_to_upper );
+
+                if ( arg->no_diegetic_pan > 1.0f || arg->no_diegetic_pan < -1.0f )
+                {
+                    fprintf( stderr, "Error: Incorrect value for panning option argument specified: %s\n\n", argv[i] );
+                    usage_dec();
+                    return false;
+                }
+            }
+#else
             char *param = to_upper( argv[i] );
             if ( ( strcmp( param, "CENTER" ) == 0 ) || ( strchr( param, 'C' ) != NULL ) )
             {
@@ -940,6 +1012,7 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_dec(
                     return false;
                 }
             }
+#endif
             i++;
         }
 
diff --git a/apps/encoder.c b/apps/encoder.c
index b73e3d27f9f23619f78fd8029e8db9401f5ef909..2aab6d5ae859b310082f95426104ce294914035f 100644
--- a/apps/encoder.c
+++ b/apps/encoder.c
@@ -884,7 +884,11 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_enc(
     while ( i < argc - 4 )
     {
         strncpy( argv_to_upper, argv[i], sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+        argv_to_upper[sizeof( argv_to_upper ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
         to_upper( argv_to_upper );
+
         /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*
          * Bandwidth limitation
          *-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -894,6 +898,9 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_enc(
             arg->max_bwidth_user = true;
 
             strncpy( stmp, argv[i + 1], sizeof( stmp ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+            stmp[sizeof( stmp ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
             to_upper( stmp );
 
             if ( strcmp( stmp, "-NB" ) == 0 || strcmp( stmp, "NB" ) == 0 )
@@ -1081,7 +1088,9 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_enc(
             if ( i < argc - 4 )
             {
                 strncpy( stmp, argv[i], sizeof( stmp ) );
-
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+                stmp[sizeof( stmp ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
                 to_upper( argv[i] );
                 if ( strcmp( argv[i], "LO" ) == 0 )
                 {
@@ -1369,6 +1378,25 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_enc(
 
             if ( i < argc - 4 )
             {
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+                if ( strcmp( argv[i], "5_1" ) == 0 )
+                {
+                    arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_5_1;
+                }
+                else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "7_1" ) == 0 )
+                {
+                    arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_7_1;
+                }
+                else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "5_1_2" ) == 0 )
+                {
+                    arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_5_1_2;
+                }
+                else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "5_1_4" ) == 0 )
+                {
+                    arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_5_1_4;
+                }
+                else if ( strcmp( argv[i], "7_1_4" ) == 0 )
+#else
                 if ( strcmp( to_upper( argv[i] ), "5_1" ) == 0 )
                 {
                     arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_5_1;
@@ -1386,6 +1414,7 @@ static bool parseCmdlIVAS_enc(
                     arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_5_1_4;
                 }
                 else if ( strcmp( to_upper( argv[i] ), "7_1_4" ) == 0 )
+#endif
                 {
                     arg->inputFormatConfig.mcLayout = IVAS_ENC_MC_7_1_4;
                 }
diff --git a/apps/renderer.c b/apps/renderer.c
index 19b88a92ddcd32469ed591f1a89900705c5bb8c5..47285b81a4370ecfd35b0b363220ed8a8dfdcbca 100644
--- a/apps/renderer.c
+++ b/apps/renderer.c
@@ -490,6 +490,9 @@ static void setupWithSingleFormatInput(
             /* It is allowed on CLI to have no metadata for an ISM input - skip opening if string is empty or contains "NULL" */
             char charBuf[FILENAME_MAX];
             strncpy( charBuf, args.inMetadataFilePaths[i], min( FILENAME_MAX, RENDERER_MAX_CLI_ARG_LENGTH ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+            charBuf[min( FILENAME_MAX, RENDERER_MAX_CLI_ARG_LENGTH ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
             to_upper( charBuf );
             if ( isEmptyString( args.inMetadataFilePaths[i] ) || strncmp( charBuf, "NULL", 4 ) == 0 )
             {
@@ -1100,6 +1103,9 @@ static bool parseInConfig(
 
     /* First check if input is being set to scene description file - this is not covered by parseAudioConfig(). */
     strncpy( charBuf, inFormatStr, sizeof( charBuf ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+    charBuf[sizeof( charBuf ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
     to_upper( charBuf );
     if ( strcmp( charBuf, "META" ) == 0 )
     {
@@ -1285,6 +1291,9 @@ static IVAS_REND_AudioConfig parseAudioConfig(
     charBuf[13] = '\0';
 
     strncpy( charBuf, configString, sizeof( charBuf ) - 1 );
+#ifdef FIX_343_TO_UPPER
+    charBuf[sizeof( charBuf ) - 1] = '\0';
+#endif
     to_upper( charBuf );
 
     if ( ( strcmp( charBuf, "MONO" ) == 0 ) || ( strcmp( charBuf, "HOA0" ) == 0 ) || ( strcmp( charBuf, "SBA0" ) == 0 ) )
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index f757b62fffc67f6489c84d4f6657455579b40203..4bff69c7212654856e043ed798cdf901c0505af9 100755
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -166,6 +166,9 @@
 #define DISABLE_RES_CHANNELS_MCT                     /* decode only W and residual for Y when outputting to stereo */
 #endif
 
+#define FIX_343_TO_UPPER                                /* VA: issue 343: safeguard for function to_upper() */
+
+
 /* ################## End DEVELOPMENT switches ######################### */
 /* clang-format on */
 #endif