diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
index 453e27b320d6e7fce444c7dd9068f51a0f959eb6..af7795f6173665246f3489e00c153dfe7bf0ebca 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
@@ -1265,7 +1265,7 @@ int16_t ivas_qmetadata_dec_sid_decode(
     start_index = *index;
 
     /* read MASA SID descriptor */
-    if ( ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT && nchan_transport == 2 ) /* corresponding to SID_MASA case; Todo: needs to be checked for SBA */
+    if ( ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT && nchan_transport == 2 )
     {
         b = bitstream[( *index )--];
         if ( b )
@@ -1456,11 +1456,14 @@ int16_t ivas_qmetadata_dec_sid_decode(
         }
     }
 
+
+#if !( defined FIX_137_SID_MD_BITS && defined FIX_QMETA_SID_5k2 )
+    /* TODO: temporary hack to keep BE */
     if ( ivas_format != SBA_FORMAT )
     {
         metadata_sid_bits = ( IVAS_SID_5k2 - SID_2k40 ) / FRAMES_PER_SEC - SID_FORMAT_NBITS;
     }
-
+#endif
     /*Read filling bits*/
     while ( start_index - *index < metadata_sid_bits )
     {
@@ -2372,7 +2375,7 @@ static uint16_t ivas_qmetadata_DecodeQuasiUniform(
     uint16_t tresh, value;
 
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
-    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) ); /* ToDo: fcs: to check if this additional conditon is really needed: && (alphabet_size <= (1U << 31) - 1));*/
+    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) );
 #endif
 
     bits = 30 - norm_l( alphabet_size ); /* bits = floor(log2(alphabet_size)) */
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_qmetadata_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_qmetadata_enc.c
index 591b37fdbbc7f64103644654813ee057fb84f04b..6de502ae8bc040e6775b452f201bf72743c1b79b 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_qmetadata_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_qmetadata_enc.c
@@ -991,6 +991,7 @@ void ivas_qmetadata_enc_sid_encode(
 
         metadata_sid_bits = ( IVAS_SID_5k2 - SID_2k40 ) / FRAMES_PER_SEC - SID_FORMAT_NBITS;
 #else
+        /* TODO: still use old sid frame size to keep bitexactness */
         metadata_sid_bits = ( 4400 /*IVAS_SID_5k2*/ - SID_2k40 ) / FRAMES_PER_SEC - SID_FORMAT_NBITS;
 #endif
     }
@@ -1231,11 +1232,13 @@ void ivas_qmetadata_enc_sid_encode(
     }
 #endif
 
+#if !( defined FIX_137_SID_MD_BITS && defined FIX_QMETA_SID_5k2 )
+    /* TODO: temporary to keep BE */
     if ( ivas_format != SBA_FORMAT )
     {
         metadata_sid_bits = ( IVAS_SID_5k2 - SID_2k40 ) / FRAMES_PER_SEC - SID_FORMAT_NBITS;
     }
-
+#endif
     /* fill bits*/
     assert( ( hMetaData->nb_bits_tot - bit_pos_start ) <= metadata_sid_bits && "Too many written bits!" );
     while ( ( hMetaData->nb_bits_tot - bit_pos_start ) < metadata_sid_bits )
@@ -2272,7 +2275,7 @@ static void ivas_qmetadata_encode_quasi_uniform(
     int16_t bits;
     uint16_t tresh;
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
-    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) ); /* ToDo: fcs: to check if this additional conditon is really needed: && (alphabet_size <= (1U << 31) - 1));*/
+    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) );
     assert( value < alphabet_size );
 #endif
 
@@ -2511,7 +2514,7 @@ static int16_t ivas_qmetadata_encode_quasi_uniform_length(
     int16_t bits;
     uint16_t tresh;
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
-    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) ); /* ToDo: fcs: to check if this additional conditon is really needed: && (alphabet_size <= (1U << 31) - 1));*/
+    assert( ( alphabet_size >= 1 ) );
     assert( value < alphabet_size );
 #endif