diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
old mode 100755
new mode 100644
index 32cff6aa940080717a5f543c9d3c843c87333a42..7b42e8dfa305976a15b603b102b0ef41466cf676
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -187,6 +187,7 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_760_COHERENCE_MASA                          /* Nokia: Issue 760: fixes decoder crash for some cases when all energy ratios are 1 */
 #define NONBE_FIX_752_OSBA_MISCONFIG_MCT                      /* FhG: issue 752: misconfiguration of MCT causes crashes for coding with sampling rate under 48kHz at 256kbps*/
 #define NONBE_FIX_727_MC_PARAMUPMIX_HEADROTATION              /* Dlb : issue 727 : headrotation in MC paramupmix mode*/
+#define NONBE_FIX_779_ISM_FREE_REVERB_HANDLE                  /* VA: issue 779: fix Crash in ISM rate switching with BINAURAL_ROOM_REVERB */
 
 #define NONBE_FIX_722_MEMORY_LEAK_IN_PARAMUPMIX               /* Dlb : issue 722: memory leak fix in MC param upmix mode with BR switching*/
 #define NONBE_FIX_780_ISM_STARTS_WITH_SID                     /* VA: issue 780: fix Crash in ISM decoding when bitstream starts with an SID and output_config is not EXT */
diff --git a/lib_rend/ivas_reverb.c b/lib_rend/ivas_reverb.c
index ee00cb30c8f628808ce457b975dfbc23791bbf8f..80dc3d5b4fbdd343241aee7d80f67653520cfa41 100644
--- a/lib_rend/ivas_reverb.c
+++ b/lib_rend/ivas_reverb.c
@@ -1286,23 +1286,36 @@ void ivas_reverb_close(
 
     hReverb = *hReverb_in;
 
+#ifdef NONBE_FIX_779_ISM_FREE_REVERB_HANDLE
+    if ( *hReverb_in == NULL || hReverb_in == NULL )
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+#else
     if ( hReverb != NULL )
     {
-        for ( loop_idx = 0; loop_idx < IVAS_REV_MAX_NR_BRANCHES; loop_idx++ )
+#endif
+    for ( loop_idx = 0; loop_idx < IVAS_REV_MAX_NR_BRANCHES; loop_idx++ )
+    {
+        if ( hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] != NULL )
         {
-            if ( hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] != NULL )
-            {
-                free( hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] );
-                hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] = NULL;
-            }
+            free( hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] );
+            hReverb->loop_delay_buffer[loop_idx] = NULL;
         }
+    }
 
-        free( hReverb->pPredelay_buffer );
-        hReverb->pPredelay_buffer = NULL;
+    free( hReverb->pPredelay_buffer );
+    hReverb->pPredelay_buffer = NULL;
 
+#ifdef NONBE_FIX_779_ISM_FREE_REVERB_HANDLE
+    free( *hReverb_in );
+    *hReverb_in = NULL;
+#else
         free( hReverb );
         hReverb = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
     return;
 }