diff --git a/lib_com/bitstream.c b/lib_com/bitstream.c
index c9571d41c16a95edb92e88f5e6b4b06825b8abf4..2321d37334d7d3f3591b08425dcd17f4147754f5 100755
--- a/lib_com/bitstream.c
+++ b/lib_com/bitstream.c
@@ -907,16 +907,22 @@ int16_t get_ivas_max_num_indices_metadata(                                /* o
  * Move indices inside the buffer or among two buffers
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+void move_indices(
+#else
 ivas_error move_indices(
+#endif
     INDICE_HANDLE old_ind_list, /* i/o: old location of indices */
     INDICE_HANDLE new_ind_list, /* i/o: new location of indices */
     const int16_t nb_indices    /* i  : number of moved indices */
 )
 {
     int16_t i;
+#ifndef FIX_545_ASSERT
     ivas_error error;
 
     error = IVAS_ERR_OK;
+#endif
 
     if ( new_ind_list < old_ind_list )
     {
@@ -941,7 +947,11 @@ ivas_error move_indices(
         }
     }
 
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+    return;
+#else
     return error;
+#endif
 }
 
 #endif
@@ -969,13 +979,24 @@ ivas_error check_ind_list_limits(
     if ( ( &hBstr->ind_list[hBstr->nb_ind_tot] - ivas_ind_list_zero ) >= *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ) )
     {
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+        fprintf( stderr, "Warning: The maximum number of indices %d has been exceeded in frame %d! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata().\n", *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ), frame );
+#else
         /* TODO: replace with the warning message below before the finalization of the IVAS codec */
         /* fprintf( stderr, "Warning: The maximum number of indices %d has been exceeded in frame %d! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata().\n", *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ), frame ); */
         assert( 0 && "The maximum number of indices has been exceeded! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata()." );
+#endif
 #endif
 
         /* reallocate the buffer of indices with increased limit */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+        if ( ( error = ind_list_realloc( hBstr, *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ) + STEP_MAX_NUM_INDICES ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return error;
+        }
+#else
         ind_list_realloc( hBstr, *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ) + STEP_MAX_NUM_INDICES );
+#endif
     }
 
     /* check, if we will not overwrite an existing indice */
@@ -996,13 +1017,24 @@ ivas_error check_ind_list_limits(
             if ( hBstr->ind_list >= ivas_ind_list_last )
             {
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+                fprintf( stderr, "Warning: The maximum number of indices %d has been exceeded in frame %d! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata().\n", *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ), frame );
+#else
                 /* TODO: replace with the warning message below before the finalization of the IVAS codec */
                 /* fprintf( stderr, "Warning: The maximum number of indices %d has been exceeded in frame %d! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata().\n", *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ), frame ); */
                 assert( 0 && "The maximum number of indices has been exceeded! Increase the limits in get_ivas_max_num_indices() or get_max_num_indices_metadata()." );
+#endif
 #endif
 
                 /* no available empty slot -> need to re-allocate the buffer */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+                if ( ( error = ind_list_realloc( hBstr, *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ) + STEP_MAX_NUM_INDICES ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+                {
+                    return error;
+                }
+#else
                 ind_list_realloc( hBstr, *( hBstr->ivas_max_num_indices ) + STEP_MAX_NUM_INDICES );
+#endif
             }
         }
         else
@@ -1080,8 +1112,15 @@ ivas_error push_indice(
 
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
     /* check the limits of the list of indices */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+    if ( ( error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+    {
+        return IVAS_ERROR( error, "Error occured in push_indice() while re-allocating the list of indices (frame %d) !\n", frame );
+    }
+#else
     error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr );
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
     /* find the location in the list of indices based on ID */
@@ -1203,8 +1242,15 @@ ivas_error push_next_indice(
 
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
     /* check the limits of the list of indices */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+    if ( ( error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+    {
+        return error;
+    }
+#else
     error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr );
 #endif
+#endif
 
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
     /* get the id of the previous indice -> it will be re-used */
@@ -1246,9 +1292,17 @@ ivas_error push_next_indice(
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_BS_READ_WRITE
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+ivas_error push_next_bits_(
+#else
 void push_next_bits_(
+#endif
+#else
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+ivas_error push_next_bits(
 #else
 void push_next_bits(
+#endif
 #endif
     BSTR_ENC_HANDLE hBstr, /* i/o: encoder bitstream handle                     */
     const uint16_t bits[], /* i  : bit buffer to pack, sequence of single bits  */
@@ -1265,6 +1319,11 @@ void push_next_bits(
     Indice *ptr;
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
     int16_t prev_id;
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+    ivas_error error;
+
+    error = IVAS_ERR_OK;
+#endif
 #endif
 #ifdef DEBUG_BS_READ_WRITE
     printf( "%s: %d: %d\n", func, line, nb_bits );
@@ -1293,7 +1352,14 @@ void push_next_bits(
 
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
         /* check the limits of the list of indices */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+        if ( ( error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return IVAS_ERROR( error, "Error occured in push_next_bits() while re-allocating the list of indices (frame %d) !\n", frame );
+        }
+#else
         check_ind_list_limits( hBstr );
+#endif
         ptr = &hBstr->ind_list[hBstr->nb_ind_tot];
 #endif
 
@@ -1313,7 +1379,14 @@ void push_next_bits(
     {
 #ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
         /* check the limits of the list of indices */
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+        if ( ( error = check_ind_list_limits( hBstr ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return IVAS_ERROR( error, "Error occured in push_next_bits() while re-allocating the list of indices (frame %d) !\n", frame );
+        }
+#else
         check_ind_list_limits( hBstr );
+#endif
         ptr = &hBstr->ind_list[hBstr->nb_ind_tot];
 #endif
 
@@ -1334,7 +1407,11 @@ void push_next_bits(
 #endif
     hBstr->nb_bits_tot = hBstr->nb_bits_tot + nb_bits;
 
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+    return error;
+#else
     return;
+#endif
 }
 
 
@@ -1535,10 +1612,12 @@ uint16_t get_indice(
 {
     uint16_t value;
     int16_t i;
+    int32_t nbits_total;
 
     assert( nb_bits <= 16 );
-    int32_t nbits_total;
+
     nbits_total = st->total_brate / FRAMES_PER_SEC;
+
     /* detect corrupted bitstream */
     if ( pos + nb_bits > nbits_total )
     {
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 8a491e2499bd71b273c0b4360859c8629157da06..fabf8f14c3b2a543d3eca54aa44075a6997f2415 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -228,6 +228,9 @@
 #define FIX_510                                         /* FhG: fix issue 510, misleading error message for invalid input format */
 #define FIX_509                                         /* FhG: fix issue 509, too low number of bitsream indices in SBA */
 #define FIX_519_JBM_ACCESS_NULL_TC_BUFFER               /* FhG: fix issue 519, accessing a yet uninitialized TC Buffer in frame 0*/
+#ifdef IND_LIST_DYN
+#define FIX_545_ASSERT                                  /* VA: fix issue 545, replace assert() with warning message when hitting memory limit in the buffer of indices */
+#endif
 
 #define FIX_TODO_NON_DIEGETIC_PAN_NOT_IMPLELENTED_IN_RENDERER /* ..\apps\renderer.c(240):  .... (todo: implementation)",*/
 #define REMOVE_OBS_CODE                                 /* FhG: Remove unnecessary assignement after LFE cleanup (Issue #451)*/
diff --git a/lib_com/prot.h b/lib_com/prot.h
index e6f371c468148a17d0d23a7be80ee575ed20a52a..23c3b98756812ba7eefcb07b814ff6f85a35d448 100644
--- a/lib_com/prot.h
+++ b/lib_com/prot.h
@@ -505,9 +505,17 @@ ivas_error push_next_indice(
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_BS_READ_WRITE
 #define push_next_bits( ... ) push_next_bits_( __VA_ARGS__, __LINE__, __func__ )
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+ivas_error push_next_bits_(
+#else
 void push_next_bits_(
+#endif
+#else
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+ivas_error push_next_bits(
 #else
 void push_next_bits(
+#endif
 #endif
     BSTR_ENC_HANDLE hBstr, /* i/o: encoder bitstream handle               */
     const uint16_t bits[], /* i  : bit buffer to pack, sequence of single bits */
@@ -548,7 +556,11 @@ ivas_error check_ind_list_limits(
     BSTR_ENC_HANDLE hBstr /* i/o: encoder bitstream handle                    */
 );
 
+#ifdef FIX_545_ASSERT
+void move_indices(
+#else
 ivas_error move_indices(
+#endif
     INDICE_HANDLE old_ind_list, /* i/o: old location of indices */
     INDICE_HANDLE new_ind_list, /* i/o: new location of indices */
     const int16_t nb_indices    /* i  : number of moved indices */
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
index 006fb176fb401fbdfaaeb77f8cb0746d03983a4b..5591b12f40c96ff715a073209ec6f12f2dc16d77 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
@@ -329,8 +329,6 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_encoder(
 #ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
     ,
     Indice ind_list[][MAX_NUM_INDICES] /* o  : bitstream indices           */
-#endif
-#ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
     ,
     Indice ind_list_metadata[][MAX_BITS_METADATA] /* o  : bitstream indices metadata  */
 #endif
diff --git a/lib_enc/lib_enc.c b/lib_enc/lib_enc.c
index 37c3e57ab5c31a317b1223714d9b17e98e1b09b6..bc71f62ece8b92c4858537c20f7898c1fdf7cd8b 100755
--- a/lib_enc/lib_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/lib_enc.c
@@ -51,9 +51,7 @@ struct IVAS_ENC
 {
     Encoder_Struct *st_ivas;
 #ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
-    Indice ind_list[MAX_NUM_DATA][MAX_NUM_INDICES]; /* list of indices */
-#endif
-#ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
+    Indice ind_list[MAX_NUM_DATA][MAX_NUM_INDICES];                /* list of indices */
     Indice ind_list_metadata[MAX_NUM_METADATA][MAX_BITS_METADATA]; /* list of indices for metadata */
 #endif
     ENC_CORE_HANDLE hCoreCoder;
@@ -940,10 +938,7 @@ static ivas_error configureEncoder(
     if ( ( error = ivas_init_encoder( st_ivas
 #ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
                                       ,
-                                      hIvasEnc->ind_list
-#endif
-#ifndef IND_LIST_DYN
-                                      ,
+                                      hIvasEnc->ind_list,
                                       hIvasEnc->ind_list_metadata
 #endif
                                       ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )