diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 9e8a3faffc91b95d1e1364510c208c05e7f5c751..42ba64994a8f0e529aaece12b126d910c26087f0 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -180,6 +180,8 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_1058_DECODER_ERROR_WITH_REVERB_ROOM   /* FhG: issue 1058: do not initialize EFAP when IntSetup is HOA3 */
 #ifdef NONBE_FIX_1058_DECODER_ERROR_WITH_REVERB_ROOM
 #endif
+#define FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER                          /* VA: issue 1043: JBM MD handle allocation is avoided in non-JBM EXT operations */
+
 #define USE_NEW_HRTF_BINARY_FILE_FORMAT                 /* Orange: to activate when decided to change the hrtf binary file format */
 #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 actiate when USE_NEW_HRTF_BINARY_FILE_FORMAT and FIX_777_COMBI_RENDER_CONFIG_FILE are on  )*/
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
index 28243db860cfd56e3ffb93a49f61f2cd45ef242b..dfbe9f497e319d8abfd56d32f03dba12c6a02af4 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
@@ -2201,7 +2201,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder(
         }
     }
 
+
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+    if ( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
     if ( st_ivas->hJbmMetadata == NULL )
+#endif
     {
         if ( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
         {
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
index ed9c49a51a35d1fe3ffcc0c47aefc40a18f910cf..e61825b77f3dd77368358b4c8a53efa26efda47b 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec.c
@@ -214,7 +214,11 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc(
                 return error;
             }
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+            if ( output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
             if ( output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
+#endif
             {
                 ivas_jbm_dec_copy_masa_meta_to_buffer( st_ivas );
             }
@@ -423,7 +427,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc(
 
             ivas_omasa_rearrange_channels( p_output, 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 );
+            }
         }
     }
     else if ( st_ivas->ivas_format == SBA_ISM_FORMAT )
@@ -822,7 +831,11 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer(
     {
         ivas_jbm_dec_td_renderers_adapt_subframes( st_ivas );
 
+#ifdef FIX_1043_JBM_MD_BUFFER
+        if ( ( st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT || st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->Opt_tsm )
+#else
         if ( ( st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_FORMAT || st_ivas->ivas_format == MASA_ISM_FORMAT ) && st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_EXTERNAL )
+#endif
         {
             ivas_jbm_masa_sf_to_slot_map( st_ivas, n_render_timeslots );
         }
@@ -902,7 +915,13 @@ void ivas_jbm_dec_feed_tc_to_renderer(
         if ( st_ivas->renderer_type == RENDERER_OMASA_MIX_EXT || 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
         {