diff --git a/lib_com/ivas_dirac_com_fx.c b/lib_com/ivas_dirac_com_fx.c
index f68b976a727e47dd4d3c53211c7da7beb7504380..c3ba55b50a727926b7647fb465d2d84a952aec03 100644
--- a/lib_com/ivas_dirac_com_fx.c
+++ b/lib_com/ivas_dirac_com_fx.c
@@ -578,10 +578,14 @@ ivas_error ivas_dirac_sba_config_fx(
     {
         hQMetaData->useLowerBandRes = 0;
         move16();
+#ifndef NONBE_FIX_973_HODIRAC_BAND_GROUPING
         IF( hodirac_flag == 0 )
         {
             nbands_coded = sub( nbands, 1 ); /* always combine the last two bands */
         }
+#else
+        nbands_coded = sub( nbands, 1 ); /* always combine the last two bands */
+#endif
     }
 
     {
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 3e977819fa2bac943032f1c771eff506f77700dd..f4c5ffd78445df8f7aea67c6bed535843c6928eb 100755
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_968_ISM_BRIR_WITH_HEADROTATION_5MS_FIX      /* FhG : issue #968: differences between 5ms and 20ms rendering for discrete ISM with BRIR and head rotation*/
 #define NONBE_FIX_935_SBA_REVERB                              /* FhG: issue 935: fix MSAN error for SBA related to BINAURAL_ROOM_REVERB */
 #define FIX_969_USAN_IGF_ARITH                          /* FhG: issue 969: fix USAN error in igf_sce_dec; same issue as #962 */
+#define NONBE_FIX_973_HODIRAC_BAND_GROUPING                   /* FhG: issue 973: empty parameter band in DirAC */
 
 /* #################### End BASOP porting switches ############################ */