diff --git a/lib_com/ivas_prot.h b/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
index 624494d24a3f11147f03ecb7c75c0c530d82a77f..74b79ef9a9d6b46ff93d6e5eab1aeb18ed73dc4f 100755
--- a/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
+++ b/lib_com/ivas_prot.h
@@ -282,6 +282,17 @@ void ivas_destroy_enc(
     Encoder_Struct *st_ivas                                     /* i/o: IVAS encoder structure                  */
 );
 
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+ivas_error ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc(
+    BSTR_ENC_HANDLE *hBstr,                                     /* o  : encoder MD bitstream handle             */
+    Encoder_Struct *st_ivas                                     /* i/o: IVAS encoder structure                  */
+);
+
+void ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc(
+    BSTR_ENC_HANDLE *hMetaData                                  /* i/o: encoder MD bitstream handle             */
+);
+#endif
+
 ivas_error ivas_init_decoder_front(
     Decoder_Struct *st_ivas                                     /* i/o: IVAS decoder structure                  */
 );
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 53b519f7c67153973da0eb565f45cdb0e917a673..db4ab9dcdd1a425595566c79423219d10053669a 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -179,6 +179,7 @@
 #define FIX_676_JBM_USAN                                /* FhG: Issue 676: USAN in JBM */
 #define FIX_796_MCT_MODE_DIFF_JBM                       /* FhG: Issue 796: fix differences between JBM and non-JBM fOR MC */
 #define LIB_REND_FIX_HRTFPARAMBIN_MEMLEAK               /* fix 755 */
+#define FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE                           /* VA: issue 803: Resolve "MD handle needed only for one SCE" */
 
 
 /* #################### End BE switches ################################## */
@@ -208,9 +209,9 @@
 #define NONBE_FIX_588_UPDATE_FASTCONV_SD                      /* FhG: issue 588: update FastConv SD HRTFs in CLDFB domain with new conversion method */
 #define NONBE_FIX_778_TNS_UNFIED_STEREO_MSAN                  /* FhG: Issue 778: MSAN error due to uninitialized TNS configuration */
 #define NONBE_FIX_797_OMASA_INACTIVE_SEP_OBJ                 /* VA: issue 797:  fix of crash when the separated object is inactive and the MASA metadata is using very few bits */
-
 #define NONBE_FIX_798_OSBA_MC_DEC_CRASH
 
+
 /* ##################### End NON-BE switches ########################### */
 
 /* ################## End DEVELOPMENT switches ######################### */
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig.c b/lib_enc/ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig.c
index c80e463ebaca4e4d32814eb255761514a7322881..5d13ee6e4c0fd04a28a99aaedbeddb20d5211b6b 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig.c
@@ -280,6 +280,10 @@ ivas_error ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig(
                 copy_encoder_config( st_ivas, st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->hCoreCoder[0], 0 );
                 st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->element_brate = brate_SCE;
                 st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->hCoreCoder[0]->total_brate = st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->element_brate; /* dummy initialization for getting right pointers initialization of input buffers in init_coder_ace_plus() */
+
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+                ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc( &( st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->hMetaData ) );
+#endif
             }
 
             for ( sce_id = nSCE_existing; sce_id < st_ivas->nSCE; sce_id++ )
@@ -301,6 +305,16 @@ ivas_error ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig(
                     reset_indices_enc( st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->hCoreCoder[0]->hBstr, st_ivas->hSCE[sce_id]->hCoreCoder[0]->hBstr->nb_ind_tot );
                 }
             }
+
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+            if ( st_ivas->hSCE[st_ivas->nSCE - 1]->hMetaData == NULL )
+            {
+                if ( ( error = ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc( &( st_ivas->hSCE[st_ivas->nSCE - 1]->hMetaData ), st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+                {
+                    return error;
+                }
+            }
+#endif
         }
 
         if ( st_ivas->nCPE > 0 )
@@ -413,6 +427,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig(
             {
                 mvr2r( input_buff[0], st_ivas->hSCE[0]->hCoreCoder[0]->input_buff, len_inp_memory );
             }
+
             if ( st_ivas->nCPE )
             {
                 for ( n = 0; n < CPE_CHANNELS; n++ )
@@ -472,6 +487,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig(
         {
             if ( st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData == NULL )
             {
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+                if ( ( error = ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc( &( st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData ), st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+                {
+                    return error;
+                }
+#else
                 if ( ( st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData = (BSTR_ENC_HANDLE) malloc( sizeof( BSTR_ENC_DATA ) ) ) == NULL )
                 {
                     return ( IVAS_ERROR( IVAS_ERR_FAILED_ALLOC, "Can not allocate memory for MetaData structure\n" ) );
@@ -484,17 +505,22 @@ ivas_error ivas_corecoder_enc_reconfig(
                 st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData->nb_ind_tot = 0;
                 st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData->nb_bits_tot = 0;
                 st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData->st_ivas = st_ivas;
+#endif
             }
 
             reset_indices_enc( st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData, st_ivas->hCPE[st_ivas->nCPE - 1]->hMetaData->nb_ind_tot );
 
             for ( cpe_id = 0; cpe_id < st_ivas->nCPE - 1; cpe_id++ )
             {
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+                ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc( &( st_ivas->hCPE[cpe_id]->hMetaData ) );
+#else
                 if ( st_ivas->hCPE[cpe_id]->hMetaData != NULL )
                 {
                     free( st_ivas->hCPE[cpe_id]->hMetaData );
                     st_ivas->hCPE[cpe_id]->hMetaData = NULL;
                 }
+#endif
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
index 18a609ccd69a5fae9289255316d43c64ef4f8a39..9f21dec4ce1bafda89e84e1e74800005235c6f4b 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_cpe_enc.c
@@ -877,11 +877,19 @@ ivas_error create_cpe_enc(
      * Metadata: allocate and initialize
      *-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+#ifndef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
     /* we need the meta data handle also if we init as MC_FORMAT/MCT since it might be needed
        at a bit rate switch to ParamMC or McMASA and the metadata index list is only really reachable
        in the ivas_init_encoder() function and has to be connected to the MD handle there */
+#endif
     if ( cpe_id == ( st_ivas->nCPE - 1 ) )
     {
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+        if ( ( error = ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc( &( hCPE->hMetaData ), st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return error;
+        }
+#else
         if ( ( hCPE->hMetaData = (BSTR_ENC_HANDLE) malloc( sizeof( BSTR_ENC_DATA ) ) ) == NULL )
         {
             return ( IVAS_ERROR( IVAS_ERR_FAILED_ALLOC, "Can not allocate memory for MetaData structure\n" ) );
@@ -893,6 +901,7 @@ ivas_error create_cpe_enc(
         hCPE->hMetaData->ivas_max_num_indices = &st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata;
         hCPE->hMetaData->st_ivas = st_ivas;
         reset_indices_enc( hCPE->hMetaData, st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata );
+#endif
     }
 
     /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*
@@ -1085,11 +1094,15 @@ void destroy_cpe_enc(
         }
     }
 
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+    ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc( &( hCPE->hMetaData ) );
+#else
     if ( hCPE->hMetaData != NULL )
     {
         free( hCPE->hMetaData );
         hCPE->hMetaData = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
     for ( n = 0; n < CPE_CHANNELS; n++ )
     {
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
index c954e89bc3ee37845849696b6bb4d8e4947df222..adbabd4061c73936fe59791ccc17a50d8609a893 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_init_enc.c
@@ -1229,3 +1229,58 @@ void ivas_destroy_enc(
 
     return;
 }
+
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc()
+ *
+ * Allocate and initialize SCE/CPE MD bitstream handle
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+ivas_error ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc(
+    BSTR_ENC_HANDLE *hMetaData_out, /* o  : encoder MD bitstream handle */
+    Encoder_Struct *st_ivas         /* i/o: IVAS encoder structure      */
+)
+{
+    BSTR_ENC_HANDLE hMetaData;
+
+    if ( ( hMetaData = (BSTR_ENC_HANDLE) malloc( sizeof( BSTR_ENC_DATA ) ) ) == NULL )
+    {
+        return ( IVAS_ERROR( IVAS_ERR_FAILED_ALLOC, "Can not allocate memory for MetaData structure\n" ) );
+    }
+
+    /* set pointer to the buffer of metadata indices */
+    hMetaData->ind_list = st_ivas->ind_list_metadata;
+    hMetaData->ivas_ind_list_zero = &st_ivas->ind_list_metadata;
+    hMetaData->ivas_max_num_indices = &st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata;
+    hMetaData->st_ivas = st_ivas;
+
+    reset_indices_enc( hMetaData, st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata );
+
+    *hMetaData_out = hMetaData;
+
+    return IVAS_ERR_OK;
+}
+
+
+/*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc()
+ *
+ * Destroy SCE/CPE MD bistream handle
+ *-------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+
+void ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc(
+    BSTR_ENC_HANDLE *hMetaData /* i/o: encoder MD bitstream handle  */
+)
+{
+    if ( hMetaData == NULL || *hMetaData == NULL )
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    free( *hMetaData );
+    *hMetaData = NULL;
+
+    return;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_sce_enc.c b/lib_enc/ivas_sce_enc.c
index 8567693244da9fec85017a01bbcc1230b637d781..abf0745d60953b572a30028f14b4703300e63d87 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_sce_enc.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_sce_enc.c
@@ -333,8 +333,18 @@ ivas_error create_sce_enc(
      * Metadata: allocate and initialize
      *-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+    if ( st_ivas->hEncoderConfig->ivas_format != MONO_FORMAT && sce_id == ( st_ivas->nSCE - 1 ) )
+#else
     if ( st_ivas->hEncoderConfig->ivas_format != MONO_FORMAT )
+#endif
     {
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+        if ( ( error = ivas_initialize_MD_bstr_enc( &( hSCE->hMetaData ), st_ivas ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return error;
+        }
+#else
         if ( ( hSCE->hMetaData = (BSTR_ENC_HANDLE) malloc( sizeof( BSTR_ENC_DATA ) ) ) == NULL )
         {
             return ( IVAS_ERROR( IVAS_ERR_FAILED_ALLOC, "Can not allocate memory for MetaData structure\n" ) );
@@ -346,6 +356,7 @@ ivas_error create_sce_enc(
         hSCE->hMetaData->ivas_max_num_indices = &st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata;
         hSCE->hMetaData->st_ivas = st_ivas;
         reset_indices_enc( hSCE->hMetaData, st_ivas->ivas_max_num_indices_metadata );
+#endif
     }
     else
     {
@@ -408,11 +419,15 @@ void destroy_sce_enc(
         st = NULL;
     }
 
+#ifdef FIX_803_SCE_MD_HANDLE
+    ivas_destroy_MD_bstr_enc( &( hSCE->hMetaData ) );
+#else
     if ( hSCE->hMetaData != NULL )
     {
         free( hSCE->hMetaData );
         hSCE->hMetaData = NULL;
     }
+#endif
 
     free( hSCE );