diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
index 9340d34cbf165ba4db9b05f75cf771993d31dd1b..c0fd2918cfabccb6e3beff14966ab6f19dcd20b9 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
@@ -1052,6 +1052,20 @@ ivas_error create_cpe_enc(
 
 #ifdef DEBUGGING
         hCPE->hStereoMdct->mdct_stereo_mode_cmdl = st_ivas->hEncoderConfig->mdct_stereo_mode_cmdl;
+#ifdef DEBUG_FORCE_MDCT_STEREO_MODE
+        /*set all other members to defined states */
+        hCPE->hStereoMdct->fDualMono = 0;
+        hCPE->hStereoMdct->fMSstereo = 0;
+
+        if ( hCPE->hStereoMdct->mdct_stereo_mode_cmdl == SMDCT_FORCE_LR )
+        {
+            hCPE->hStereoMdct->fDualMono = 1;
+        }
+        else if ( hCPE->hStereoMdct->mdct_stereo_mode_cmdl == SMDCT_FORCE_MS )
+        {
+            hCPE->hStereoMdct->fMSstereo = 1;
+        }
+#endif
 #endif
         initMdctStereoEncData( hCPE->hStereoMdct, ivas_format, hCPE->element_mode, hCPE->element_brate, max_bwidth, 0, NULL, 1 );
         hCPE->hStereoMdct->isSBAStereoMode = ( ( ivas_format == SBA_FORMAT || ivas_format == SBA_ISM_FORMAT ) && ( st_ivas->nchan_transport == 2 ) );