diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index e39e717ac77e9e915275eb536b8e22ffdd4e2ac8..baf9d66f97a4419a1dda57386a742103e4ca00f1 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -208,6 +208,7 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_907_VLBR_DIRAC_BAND_MAPPING           /* Dlb: issue 907: fix for band mapping at VLBR */           
 #define NONBE_FIX_869_MASA_PREREND_MERGE                      /* Nokia: issue: #869: MASA pre-rend not updating energy */
 #define FIX_910_REMOVE_DUPLICATION_TD_REND              /* VA: issue 910: remove duplication of function ivas_td_binaural_renderer() */
+#define FIX_940_DEBUGGING_VARIABLE                      /* Nokia: issue #940: remove debugging variable */
 
 /* #################### End BASOP porting switches ############################ */
 
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
index 9e66d0ace83e4d1ba3fb0871486c833e2623062e..236edb3986321e8b3dbc65a31381df7d75054aad 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_qmetadata_dec.c
@@ -4263,7 +4263,11 @@ static void read_stream_dct_coeffs_omasa(
     int16_t *index,
     const int16_t first_line )
 {
+#ifdef FIX_940_DEBUGGING_VARIABLE
+    int16_t sign;
+#else
     int16_t sign, nbits;
+#endif
     int16_t i, j, i_min;
 #ifndef NONBE_1319_M2R_PRECISION_ALIGN
     float step;
@@ -4275,7 +4279,9 @@ static void read_stream_dct_coeffs_omasa(
 #else
     step = STEP_M2T;
 #endif
+#ifndef FIX_940_DEBUGGING_VARIABLE
     nbits = 0;
+#endif
     sign = 1;
     if ( first_line == 0 )
     {
@@ -4285,7 +4291,9 @@ static void read_stream_dct_coeffs_omasa(
         {
             sign = -1;
         }
+#ifndef FIX_940_DEBUGGING_VARIABLE
         nbits++;
+#endif
     }
 
     set_s( q_idx, 0, len_stream );
@@ -4307,7 +4315,9 @@ static void read_stream_dct_coeffs_omasa(
             {
                 i_min = ( i_min << 1 ) + bit_stream[( *index )--];
             }
+#ifndef FIX_940_DEBUGGING_VARIABLE
             nbits += j;
+#endif
             /* read GR orders */
             GR1 = bit_stream[( *index )--] + 1;
             if ( GR1 == 2 )