diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 27535f94cfeb5ab4f07111f5ccacd0310d93e24e..7e06c92b3ec9e993ed7680758fc214a2e3704874 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -1379,7 +1379,7 @@ split-rendering-pytest-on-merge-request:
     - .test-job-linux-needs-testv-dir
     - .rules-merge-request-to-main-pc
   needs: ["build-codec-linux-make"]
-  timeout: "45 minutes"
+  timeout: "60 minutes"
   stage: compare
   script:
     - *print-common-info
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 91b99736b0b8d7190ef8258db933ef67d252a7a8..4fd97b2d45f7c8d9c559d9b18e697255dd4615e8 100755
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -115,6 +115,7 @@
 #define FIX_983_DISC_ISM_DIGEST_NUM_OBJS                /* FhG: issue #983: the discrete ISM digest function uses the wrong number of objects */
 
 #define NONBE_FIX_974_OSBA_JBM_MONO_RS_USAN             /* FhG : issue #974: usan in mono and stereo output in OSBA JBM RS */
+#define FIX_944_REMOVE_LS_RENDERER_CALL_IN_STEREO       /* VA: issue 994: remove an obsolete call of function ivas_ls_setup_conversion() in stereo */
 #define NONBE_FIX_982_OMASA_DELAY_COMP_5MS              /* FhG : issue #982 : 5ms and 20ms output different for OMASA */
 #define FIX_ACCESS_WITHIN_NULL_STRUCT_MC_BW_SWITCHING   /* FhG: fix usan error in MCT with bw swicthing */
 #define NONBE_FIX_986_MC_BW_SWITCHING                   /* FhG: fix crash in bw and br switching with MC */
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
index c85e36d8e815317c0c3143f67d1d452c68695e19..8db29e4dff642695362757c900f328075884b969 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_jbm_dec_fx.c
@@ -175,6 +175,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc_fx(
         {
             hp20_fx_32( p_output_fx[n], output_frame, st_ivas->mem_hp20_out_fx[n], output_Fs );
         }
+#ifndef FIX_944_REMOVE_LS_RENDERER_CALL_IN_STEREO
 
         test();
         IF( EQ_32( st_ivas->renderer_type, RENDERER_MC ) && EQ_16( st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->nchan_out, 1 ) )
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_jbm_dec_tc_fx(
                 Scale_sig32( p_output_fx[i], output_frame, negate( s ) ); // Q11
             }
         }
+#endif
     }
     ELSE IF( EQ_32( st_ivas->ivas_format, ISM_FORMAT ) )
     {