diff --git a/lib_com/ivas_prot.h b/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
index 53111de7533b6aed005491ce3cf00594246209a9..328f19c2c37d633a4fa9236cc0c9910907efb962 100755
--- a/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
+++ b/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
@@ -5276,6 +5276,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_ism_renderer_open(
     Decoder_Struct *st_ivas                                     /* i/o: IVAS decoder structure                          */
 );
 
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+void ivas_ism_renderer_close(
+    ISM_RENDERER_HANDLE *hIsmRendererData                       /* i/o: ISM renderer handle                             */
+);
+#endif
+
 void ivas_ism_render(
     Decoder_Struct *st_ivas,                                    /* i/o: IVAS decoder structure                          */
     float *output_f[],                                          /* i/o: core-coder transport channels/object output     */
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index dfb21d3748b832e11541eb84d876e1a7ec1ab592..56dae16c597ab3500866dc4df362b8a255f7c629 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -173,6 +173,7 @@
 #define FIX_518_ISM_BRIR_EXTREND                        /* FhG: fix issue #518, cleanup ISM to BINAURAL_ROOM_IR rendering in the external renderer */
 #define FIX_764_HARM_CODE                               /* VA: issue 764: introduce new function for the same code block at four different places */
 #define FIX_747_ISM_TODOS                               /* VA: issue 747 - address ISM ToDos */
+#define FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC                  /* VA: issue 781: harmonize Deallocation of handle 'hIsmRendererData' */
 
 
 /* #################### End BE switches ################################## */
@@ -199,9 +200,9 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_ISM_DTX_INFINITE_CNG_ON_TRAILING_SILENCE    /* FhG: fix for cng in ISM DTX on sudden silence periods - JBM addon (issue 552) */
 #define NONBE_FIX_738_SBA_BR_SW_ASAN                          /* FhG: issue 738: fixes bug when switching to an MCT bitrate and previous frame was ACELP */
 #define NONBE_CR_FIX_735_SBA_HP20_BRATE_SWITCHING             /* VA: Issue 735: Resolve "HP20 filtering bug in SBA/OSBA bitrate switching" */
-
 #define NONBE_FIX_588_UPDATE_FASTCONV_SD                      /* FhG: issue 588: update FastConv SD HRTFs in CLDFB domain with new conversion method */
 
+
 /* ##################### End NON-BE switches ########################### */
 
 /* ################## End DEVELOPMENT switches ######################### */
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
index 74b30548d432718f7efc79745e620ce04445237d..a6ff01f3c986aa83977e7a1d594bd6497f865eaa 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
@@ -2550,12 +2550,16 @@ void ivas_destroy_dec(
     ivas_ism_metadata_close( st_ivas->hIsmMetaData, 0 );
 
     /* ISM renderer handle */
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+    ivas_ism_renderer_close( &( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData ) );
+#else
     if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData != NULL )
     {
         free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData->interpolator );
         free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
         st_ivas->hIsmRendererData = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
     /* DirAC handle */
     if ( st_ivas->ivas_format == ISM_FORMAT )
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_ism_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_ism_dec.c
index 0a1d862e9fa8717737a4a1bc3e09c066a09fd71e..00ba167fcf84d389ef192008d9bccd4b9362c6b6 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_ism_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_ism_dec.c
@@ -210,12 +210,17 @@ static ivas_error ivas_ism_bitrate_switching_dec(
         else
         {
             /* close the ISM renderer and reinitialize */
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+            ivas_ism_renderer_close( &st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
+#else
+
             if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData != NULL )
             {
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData->interpolator );
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
                 st_ivas->hIsmRendererData = NULL;
             }
+#endif
 
             if ( ( error = ivas_ism_renderer_open( st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
             {
@@ -295,12 +300,16 @@ static ivas_error ivas_ism_bitrate_switching_dec(
         else
         {
             /* Close the ISM renderer */
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+            ivas_ism_renderer_close( &st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
+#else
             if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData != NULL )
             {
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData->interpolator );
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
                 st_ivas->hIsmRendererData = NULL;
             }
+#endif
         }
 
         if ( st_ivas->hOutSetup.output_config == IVAS_AUDIO_CONFIG_BINAURAL_ROOM_IR )
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_ism_renderer.c b/lib_dec/ivas_ism_renderer.c
index cb2fcbdb2ca7db2d45fd8b35be7489e9e75114e2..b86741139900836c087342a91be6a8f2b0890388 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_ism_renderer.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_ism_renderer.c
@@ -108,6 +108,36 @@ ivas_error ivas_ism_renderer_open(
 }
 
 
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*
+ * ivas_ism_renderer_close()
+ *
+ * Close struct for object rendering.
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+void ivas_ism_renderer_close(
+    ISM_RENDERER_HANDLE *hIsmRendererData /* i/o: ISM renderer handle */
+)
+{
+    if ( *hIsmRendererData == NULL || hIsmRendererData == NULL )
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if ( ( *hIsmRendererData )->interpolator != NULL )
+    {
+        free( ( *hIsmRendererData )->interpolator );
+        ( *hIsmRendererData )->interpolator = NULL;
+    }
+
+    free( *hIsmRendererData );
+    *hIsmRendererData = NULL;
+
+    return;
+}
+#endif
+
+
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------*
  * ivas_ism_render()
  *
@@ -440,6 +470,9 @@ void ivas_omasa_separate_object_renderer_close(
         }
     }
 
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+    ivas_ism_renderer_close( &st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
+#else
     if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData != NULL )
     {
         if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData->interpolator != NULL )
@@ -451,6 +484,7 @@ void ivas_omasa_separate_object_renderer_close(
         free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
         st_ivas->hIsmRendererData = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
     return;
 }
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_sba_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_sba_dec.c
index e502821c51732d291268be6c8b5e5330151b014c..8ff8bcc48e991010f090a115c72150ecc125031a 100755
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_sba_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_sba_dec.c
@@ -367,6 +367,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_sba_dec_reconfigure(
     /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*
      * Allocate, initialize, and configure SCE/CPE/MCT handles
      *-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
     if ( st_ivas->ivas_format == SBA_ISM_FORMAT )
     {
         if ( ism_mode_old == ISM_MODE_NONE && st_ivas->ism_mode == ISM_SBA_MODE_DISC )
@@ -393,6 +394,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_sba_dec_reconfigure(
                     return error;
                 }
             }
+
             if ( st_ivas->renderer_type == RENDERER_BINAURAL_FASTCONV )
             {
                 /* Allocate TD renderer for the objects in DISC mode */
@@ -404,10 +406,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_sba_dec_reconfigure(
                     }
                 }
             }
+
             if ( ( error = ivas_masa_ism_data_open( st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
             {
                 return error;
             }
+
             /* Allocate 'hIsmRendererData' handle and memory for delay buffer within 'hMasaIsmData' */
             if ( ( error = ivas_sba_ism_separate_object_renderer_open( st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
             {
@@ -422,17 +426,20 @@ ivas_error ivas_sba_dec_reconfigure(
         else if ( ism_mode_old == ISM_SBA_MODE_DISC && st_ivas->ism_mode == ISM_MODE_NONE )
         {
             /* ISM renderer handle */
+#ifdef FIX_ISMRENDERER_HANDLE_DEALLOC
+            ivas_ism_renderer_close( &st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
+#else
             if ( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData != NULL )
             {
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData->interpolator );
                 free( st_ivas->hIsmRendererData );
                 st_ivas->hIsmRendererData = NULL;
             }
+#endif
             ivas_ism_metadata_close( st_ivas->hIsmMetaData, 0 );
             ivas_masa_ism_data_close( &st_ivas->hMasaIsmData );
 
             /* Time Domain binaural renderer handle */
-
             if ( st_ivas->hBinRendererTd != NULL )
             {
                 if ( st_ivas->hBinRendererTd->HrFiltSet_p->ModelParams.modelROM == TRUE )