diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index 39e60980dc1048749356b2629988de05894ddb2e..73c25a9c74d48ac8221f45cadec544114a3f70bb 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -172,6 +172,7 @@
 #define FIX_694_OMASA_EXTREME                           /* Nokia: fix for crash in OMASA on extreme sample */
 #define FIX_679_JBM_MC2SBA                              /* FhG: fix issue 679: check for transport vs. internal channel count in JBM prior to ivas_mc2sba() */
 #define FIX_591_PARAMISM_JBM_ENER_CORRECTION            /* FhG: fix energy correction in ParamISM rendering */
+#define FIX_551_HEADTRACKER_INIT                        /* FhG: move setting of orientation tracking type to earlier    */
 
 #define FIX_LARGE_RENDERER_DELAY_COMP                   /* Fix renderer delay compensation with delays greater than 1 frame */
 
diff --git a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
index b7704d0e7a04f72432769a7d5e35f374a62c26d4..b936fd20f99071daf421802c1de97f2e3d428f44 100644
--- a/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
+++ b/lib_dec/ivas_init_dec.c
@@ -975,6 +975,12 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder_front(
         {
             return error;
         }
+#ifdef FIX_551_HEADTRACKER_INIT
+        if ( ( error = ivas_orient_trk_SetTrackingType( st_ivas->hHeadTrackData->OrientationTracker, st_ivas->hDecoderConfig->orientation_tracking ) ) != IVAS_ERR_OK )
+        {
+            return error;
+        }
+#endif
     }
 
     /*-------------------------------------------------------------------*
@@ -1180,6 +1186,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder(
         }
     }
 
+#ifndef FIX_551_HEADTRACKER_INIT
     /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*
      * Set head/orientation tracking
      *-----------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -1191,6 +1198,7 @@ ivas_error ivas_init_decoder(
             return error;
         }
     }
+#endif
 
 #ifdef SPLIT_REND_WITH_HEAD_ROT
     /*-----------------------------------------------------------------*