diff --git a/ivas_processing_scripts/audiotools/audiofile.py b/ivas_processing_scripts/audiotools/audiofile.py
index 7ec547895611eca8d988b2e41e6247a4b843e219..2d6ee25a63b8b933d14f3bedf9a542eee7c59dca 100755
--- a/ivas_processing_scripts/audiotools/audiofile.py
+++ b/ivas_processing_scripts/audiotools/audiofile.py
@@ -34,11 +34,13 @@ import logging
 import struct
 from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional, Tuple, Union
+from warnings import warn
 
 import numpy as np
 import scipy.io.wavfile as wav
 
 from .audioarray import trim, window
+from .constants import VERT_HOA_CHANNELS_ACN
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("__main__")
 logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
@@ -326,6 +328,8 @@ def split_channels(
     in_file: str,
     out_filenames: list,
     in_nchans: int,
+    out_nchans: int,
+    is_planar: Optional[bool] = False,
     in_fs: Optional[int] = 48000,
 ) -> None:
     """
@@ -339,6 +343,10 @@ def split_channels(
         List of output file names (.pcm, .raw or .wav)
     in_nchans: int
         Input number of channels
+    out_nchans: int
+        Number of channels to be split
+    is_planar: Optional[bool]
+        If true vertical SBA channels are set to zero
     in_fs: Optional[int] = 48000
         Input sampling rate, default 48000 Hz
 
@@ -350,14 +358,17 @@ def split_channels(
     # validation
     if in_nchans is None:
         raise ValueError("Number of channels to split must be specified!")
-    if in_nchans != len(out_filenames):
-        print(
+    if out_nchans != len(out_filenames):
+        warn(
             "Split: Mismatch between number of channels and output filenames length. Truncating output filenames list."
         )
-        out_filenames = out_filenames[:in_nchans]
+        out_filenames = out_filenames[:out_nchans]
 
     x, in_fs = read(in_file, nchannels=in_nchans, fs=in_fs)
 
+    if is_planar:
+        x[:, VERT_HOA_CHANNELS_ACN[VERT_HOA_CHANNELS_ACN < in_nchans]] = 0
+
     # Write output files
     for idx, out_file in enumerate(out_filenames):
         # extract correct channel
diff --git a/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/chains.py b/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/chains.py
index accf1014728e8ae05c1075e3cc06e86bacf58b2c..bfa8045130d79067bb5ea8e83652e2954bc98f7c 100755
--- a/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/chains.py
+++ b/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/chains.py
@@ -300,11 +300,13 @@ def get_processing_chain(
                     "tx": tx_cfg,
                     "preamble": preamble,
                     "evs_lfe_9k6bps_nb": evs_lfe_9k6bps_nb,
+                    "sba_format": cond_cfg.get("sba_format", tmp_in_fmt),
                 }
             )
         )
         # update values to reflect decoder output
         tmp_in_fs = dec_cfg.get("fs", tmp_in_fs)
+        tmp_in_fmt = cond_cfg.get("sba_format", cfg.input["fmt"])
 
     elif cond_cfg["type"] == "ivas":
         cod_cfg = cond_cfg["cod"]
diff --git a/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/evs.py b/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/evs.py
index 7c52eaabe42846925dab651736d77d8901ffa82d..605e61df869564f85aab6141ef9b6b60a35daad5 100755
--- a/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/evs.py
+++ b/ivas_processing_scripts/processing/evs.py
@@ -167,16 +167,33 @@ class EVS(Processing):
         if not self.out_fs:
             self.out_fs = self.in_fs
 
+        # consider SBA format for condition
+        condition_fmt = audio.fromtype(self.sba_format)
+        if isinstance(self.in_fmt, audio.SceneBasedAudio):
+            if not isinstance(condition_fmt, audio.SceneBasedAudio) or (
+                condition_fmt.num_channels > self.in_fmt.num_channels
+            ):
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "SBA format has to be SBA with lower order than input signal"
+                )
+            is_planar = condition_fmt.is_planar
+        else:
+            if self.in_fmt.name != condition_fmt.name:
+                raise ValueError("Cannot specify SBA format for non SBA input formats")
+            is_planar = False
+
         # Split the channels to prepare for multi-mono coding
         split_chan_files = [
-            out_file.with_suffix(f".{i}.pcm") for i in range(self.in_fmt.num_channels)
+            out_file.with_suffix(f".{i}.pcm") for i in range(condition_fmt.num_channels)
         ]
 
         split_channels(
             in_file,
             split_chan_files,
-            self.in_fmt.num_channels,
-            self.in_fs,
+            in_nchans=self.in_fmt.num_channels,
+            out_nchans=condition_fmt.num_channels,
+            in_fs=self.in_fs,
+            is_planar=is_planar,
         )
 
         # run processing
diff --git a/tests/data/test_SBA.yml b/tests/data/test_SBA.yml
index aa20a5fdc520fd5002fa6d2ae53ed1195c2046bd..679e57c4d988efff4ebbd88eb48080e25a3bda4e 100644
--- a/tests/data/test_SBA.yml
+++ b/tests/data/test_SBA.yml
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ conditions_to_generate:
           ### For possible arguments see overall bitstream modification
           type: "JBM"
           error_profile: 3
+      sba_format: "PLANARFOA"
 
 ################################################
 ### Post-processing