diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
index 66b72cfdf9c045e6b2ee80db00a1e999c533ef44..42c8854aedcc3dbe5e9667375db2540327dfff12
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -158,6 +158,8 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_984_OMASA_EXT_OUTPUT                        /* Nokia: issue #984: complete the OMASA EXT output implementation */
 
 #define USE_NEW_HRTF_BINARY_FILE_FORMAT                 /* Orange: to activate when decided to change the hrtf binary file format */
+#define FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER                          /* VA: issue  1043: JBM MD handle allocation is avoided in non-JBM EXT operations */
+
 #define FIX_WARNING_RENDER_CONFIG                       /* Orange: fix warning on windows build */
 #define NONBE_FIX_991_PARAMBIN_BINARY_HRTF              /* Nokia: issue #991: fix using of binary file HRTF in ParamBin (to activate when USE_NEW_HRTF_BINARY_FILE_FORMAT and FIX_777_COMBI_RENDER_CONFIG_FILE are on ) */
 #define FIX_1741_REVERB_TIMES_Q_FORMAT                  /* Philips: reverberation times in Q26 format instead of Q31 */
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec_fx.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec_fx.c
index 8b9d77e38f2f872c873ba90188988ef39b73afea..60a9aecb7e592ed29263201695613691ee3d4bd8 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec_fx.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec_fx.c
@@ -2671,8 +2671,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder_fx(
             return error;
         }
     }
-
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+    test();
+    IF( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
     IF( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL )
+#endif
     {
         IF( EQ_32( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config, IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL ) )
         {
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
index f4c6619508cf5082146d692d26f56fc836d35b39..48aeda1a4ffd09edd415e47bbb99301c995e055e 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
@@ -288,7 +288,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc_fx(
                 return error;
             }
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            test();
+            IF( EQ_32( output_config, IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
             IF( EQ_32( output_config, IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL ) )
+#endif
             {
                 ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
             }
@@ -830,8 +835,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc_fx(
 
             ivas_omasa_rearrange_channels_fx( p_output_fx, nchan_transport_ism, output_frame );
 #endif
-
-            ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            IF( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#endif
+            {
+                ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
+            }
         }
         IF( NE_16( output_q, Q11 ) )
         {
@@ -1618,7 +1627,12 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer_fx(
 
         test();
         test();
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+        test();
+        IF( ( EQ_16( st_ivas->ivas_format, MASA_FORMAT ) || EQ_16( st_ivas->ivas_format, MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) ) && EQ_16( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config, IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
         IF( ( EQ_16( st_ivas->ivas_format, MASA_FORMAT ) || EQ_16( st_ivas->ivas_format, MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) ) && EQ_16( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config, IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL ) )
+#endif
         {
             ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
         }
@@ -1739,7 +1753,12 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer_fx(
         IF( EQ_32( st_ivas->renderer_type, RENDERER_OMASA_MIX_EXT ) || EQ_32( st_ivas->renderer_type, RENDERER_OMASA_OBJECT_EXT ) )
         {
             ivas_jbm_dec_td_renderers_adapt_subframes( st_ivas );
-            ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            IF( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#endif
+            {
+                ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
+            }
         }
         ELSE
         {