diff --git a/lib_com/basop_util.c b/lib_com/basop_util.c
index 6ecc23bee1debab7ccdd69defbf5e716030d802a..0bf796702fc3619f5f91c4dd636bea2cba7ae40d 100644
--- a/lib_com/basop_util.c
+++ b/lib_com/basop_util.c
@@ -2968,3 +2968,21 @@ Word64 Mpy_64_32( Word64 W_var1, Word32 L_var2 )
     var_out = W_mac_32_32( W_shr( var_out, 31 ), W_extract_h( W_var1 ), L_var2 );
     return var_out;
 }
+
+#ifndef FUNCTION_W_msu0_32_32
+Word64 W_msu0_32_32( Word64 L64_var1, Word32 L_var2, Word32 L_var3 )
+{
+    /* no saturation */
+    L64_var1 = W_sub_nosat( L64_var1, W_mult0_32_32( L_var2, L_var3 ) );
+    return L64_var1;
+}
+#endif
+
+#ifndef FUNCTION_W_mac0_32_32
+Word64 W_mac0_32_32( Word64 L64_var1, Word32 L_var2, Word32 L_var3 )
+{
+    /* no saturation */
+    L64_var1 = W_add_nosat( L64_var1, W_mult0_32_32( L_var2, L_var3 ) );
+    return L64_var1;
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/lib_com/basop_util.h b/lib_com/basop_util.h
index b016690d6c6ed3d8f1fecd87596f37b53f05552b..c63e62747821ba83e8855005550981d1131f7d50 100644
--- a/lib_com/basop_util.h
+++ b/lib_com/basop_util.h
@@ -929,4 +929,11 @@ cmplx CL_mult_32x16( cmplx input, cmplx_s coeff );
 */
 Word64 Mpy_64_32( Word64 W_var1, Word32 L_var2 );
 
+#ifndef FUNCTION_W_msu0_32_32
+Word64 W_msu0_32_32( Word64 L64_var1, Word32 L_var2, Word32 L_var3 );
+#endif
+#ifndef FUNCTION_W_mac0_32_32
+Word64 W_mac0_32_32( Word64 L64_var1, Word32 L_var2, Word32 L_var3 );
+#endif
+
 #endif /* __BASOP_UTIL_H__ */
diff --git a/lib_com/options.h b/lib_com/options.h
index b73b5ee8a07ae4d0e864f861de938e225384bca1..dd41dd1bc5640eee34a64af179ca26c52b4e3fd8 100644
--- a/lib_com/options.h
+++ b/lib_com/options.h
@@ -105,11 +105,12 @@
 
 /* #################### Start BASOP optimization switches ############################ */
 
-#define OPT_2181_MATRIX_TRANSP_1_MUL /* Dolby: Issue 2181, optimize matrixTransp1Mul_fx. */
-#define OPT_2182_MATRIX_SCALE_OPS    /* Dolby: Issue 2181, move matrix scale operations outside mul operations. */
-#define OPT_2185_MATRIX_OUT_SCALING  /* Dolby: Issue 2185, optimize matrix-mul output-format. */
-#define OPT_2239_IVAS_FILTER_PROCESS /* Dolby: Issue 2239, optimize ivas_filter_process_fx. */
-#define NONBE_OPT_2193_EIG2X2        /* Dolby: Issue 2193, optimize eig2x2_fx. */
+#define OPT_2181_MATRIX_TRANSP_1_MUL        /* Dolby: Issue 2181, optimize matrixTransp1Mul_fx. */
+#define OPT_2182_MATRIX_SCALE_OPS           /* Dolby: Issue 2181, move matrix scale operations outside mul operations. */
+#define OPT_2185_MATRIX_OUT_SCALING         /* Dolby: Issue 2185, optimize matrix-mul output-format. */
+#define OPT_2239_IVAS_FILTER_PROCESS        /* Dolby: Issue 2239, optimize ivas_filter_process_fx. */
+#define NONBE_OPT_2193_EIG2X2               /* Dolby: Issue 2193, optimize eig2x2_fx. */
+#define BE_FIX_2240_COMPUTE_COV_MTC_FX_FAST /* FhG: Speeds up covariance calculation e.g. 60 WMOPS for encoding -mc 7_1_4 24400 48 */
 
 /* #################### End BASOP optimization switches ############################ */
 
diff --git a/lib_enc/ivas_mcmasa_enc_fx.c b/lib_enc/ivas_mcmasa_enc_fx.c
index 280da94568e28c042476055c9fef075341e20982..bbc275acf4f0928725d05778808cbcb90912a18b 100644
--- a/lib_enc/ivas_mcmasa_enc_fx.c
+++ b/lib_enc/ivas_mcmasa_enc_fx.c
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
 #include "wmc_auto.h"
 #include "ivas_prot_fx.h"
 
-
 /*-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  * Local constants
  *------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -72,6 +71,17 @@ static void ivas_mcmasa_dmx_fx(
     const Word16 nchan_transport,
     const Word16 nchan_inp );
 
+#ifdef BE_FIX_2240_COMPUTE_COV_MTC_FX_FAST
+/* Compute covariance matrix, i.e., xT * conj(x), and accumulate to the output */
+static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
+    Word32 sr[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, real, s[ch][freq]               (inp_exp) */
+    Word32 si[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, imag, s[ch][freq]               (inp_exp) */
+    Word16 num_freq_bands,
+    const Word16 N,                                /* i  : Number of channels                                      */
+    CovarianceMatrix pCOVls[MASA_FREQUENCY_BANDS], /* o  : Output matrix, contains upper part of cov mtx           */
+    Word16 inp_exp,                                /*Stores exponent for temp*/
+    Word16 *band_grouping );
+#else
 static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
     Word32 sr[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, real, s[ch][freq]                         */
     Word32 si[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, imag, s[ch][freq]                         */
@@ -80,6 +90,7 @@ static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
     CovarianceMatrix *COVls,                                /* o  : Output matrix, contains upper part of cov mtx           */
     Word16 inp_exp                                          /*Stores exponent for temp*/
 );
+#endif
 
 static void computeIntensityVector_enc_fx(
     const Word16 *band_grouping,
@@ -919,7 +930,11 @@ void ivas_mcmasa_param_est_enc_fx(
     Word32 renormalization_factor_diff_fx[MASA_FREQUENCY_BANDS]; // renormalization_factor_diff_e
     Word16 renormalization_factor_diff_e[MASA_FREQUENCY_BANDS];
     Word32 norm_tmp_fx;
+#ifdef BE_FIX_2240_COMPUTE_COV_MTC_FX_FAST
+    Word16 mrange[2];
+#else
     Word16 mrange[2], brange[2];
+#endif
     Word16 numSubFramesForRatio;
     CovarianceMatrix COVls[MASA_FREQUENCY_BANDS];
     Word32 absCOVls_fx[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS];
@@ -1064,6 +1079,29 @@ void ivas_mcmasa_param_est_enc_fx(
             }
             inp_q = add( inp_q, sf );
 
+#ifdef BE_FIX_2240_COMPUTE_COV_MTC_FX_FAST
+            /* Compute covariance matrix */
+
+            assert( mrange[1] - mrange[0] == 1 );
+            /*if this ever comes up,
+              1. backup COVls to COVls_old
+              2. reinitialize COVls (setzero)
+              3. call compute_cov_mtx_fx(..,COVls,...)
+              4. Add COVls_old to COVls
+              */
+
+            compute_cov_mtx_fx( Chnl_RealBuffer_fx, Chnl_ImagBuffer_fx, num_freq_bands, numAnalysisChannels, COVls, sub( 31, inp_q ), hMcMasa->band_grouping );
+
+            FOR( i = 0; i < num_freq_bands; i++ )
+            {
+                /* Store energies for guiding metadata encoding */
+                FOR( j = 0; j < numAnalysisChannels; j++ )
+                {
+                    move32();
+                    hMasa->data.energy_fx[block_m_idx][i] = BASOP_Util_Add_Mant32Exp( hMasa->data.energy_fx[block_m_idx][i], hMasa->data.energy_e[block_m_idx][i], COVls[i].xr_fx[j][j], COVls[i].xr_e[j][j], &hMasa->data.energy_e[block_m_idx][i] );
+                }
+            }
+#else
             /* Compute covariance matrix */
             FOR( i = 0; i < num_freq_bands; i++ )
             {
@@ -1076,6 +1114,7 @@ void ivas_mcmasa_param_est_enc_fx(
                     compute_cov_mtx_fx( Chnl_RealBuffer_fx, Chnl_ImagBuffer_fx, j, numAnalysisChannels, &( COVls[i] ), sub( 31, inp_q ) );
                 }
 
+
                 /* Store energies for guiding metadata encoding */
                 FOR( j = 0; j < numAnalysisChannels; j++ )
                 {
@@ -1083,6 +1122,7 @@ void ivas_mcmasa_param_est_enc_fx(
                     hMasa->data.energy_fx[block_m_idx][i] = BASOP_Util_Add_Mant32Exp( hMasa->data.energy_fx[block_m_idx][i], hMasa->data.energy_e[block_m_idx][i], COVls[i].xr_fx[j][j], COVls[i].xr_e[j][j], &hMasa->data.energy_e[block_m_idx][i] );
                 }
             }
+#endif
 
             IF( !hMcMasa->separateChannelEnabled )
             {
@@ -2087,6 +2127,74 @@ static void ivas_mcmasa_dmx_fx(
 
     return;
 }
+
+#ifdef BE_FIX_2240_COMPUTE_COV_MTC_FX_FAST
+
+/* Compute covariance matrix, i.e., xT * conj(x), and accumulate to the output */
+static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
+    Word32 sr[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, real, s[ch][freq]               (inp_exp) */
+    Word32 si[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, imag, s[ch][freq]               (inp_exp) */
+    Word16 num_freq_bands,
+    const Word16 N,                                /* i  : Number of channels                                      */
+    CovarianceMatrix pCOVls[MASA_FREQUENCY_BANDS], /* o  : Output matrix, contains upper part of cov mtx           */
+    Word16 inp_exp,                                /*Stores exponent for temp*/
+    Word16 *band_grouping )
+{
+    Word16 brange[2];
+    Word16 freq;
+    int k;
+    int i, j;
+    Word16 tmp_16;
+    Word16 temp_exp = add( 1, shl( inp_exp, 1 ) );
+    Word64 temp64_1_r_acc, temp64_1_i_acc;
+
+    FOR( i = 0; i < N; i++ )
+    {
+        FOR( j = i; j < N; j++ )
+        {
+            FOR( k = 0; k < num_freq_bands; k++ )
+            {
+                brange[0] = band_grouping[k];
+                move16();
+                brange[1] = band_grouping[k + 1];
+                move16();
+                CovarianceMatrix *COVls = &( pCOVls[k] );
+
+                move64();
+                temp64_1_r_acc = 0;
+                move64();
+                temp64_1_i_acc = 0;
+
+                FOR( freq = brange[0]; freq < brange[1]; freq++ )
+                {
+                    temp64_1_r_acc = W_mac0_32_32( temp64_1_r_acc, si[i][freq], si[j][freq] ); // exp:2*inp_exp
+                    temp64_1_r_acc = W_mac0_32_32( temp64_1_r_acc, sr[i][freq], sr[j][freq] ); // exp:2*inp_exp
+
+                    temp64_1_i_acc = W_mac0_32_32( temp64_1_i_acc, si[i][freq], sr[j][freq] );
+                    temp64_1_i_acc = W_msu0_32_32( temp64_1_i_acc, sr[i][freq], si[j][freq] );
+                }
+
+                tmp_16 = W_norm( temp64_1_r_acc );
+
+                COVls->xr_fx[i][j] = W_extract_h( W_shl( temp64_1_r_acc, tmp_16 ) ); // exp:max_exp-tmp_16
+                COVls->xr_e[i][j] = sub( temp_exp, tmp_16 );
+                move32();
+                move16();
+
+                tmp_16 = W_norm( temp64_1_i_acc );
+
+                COVls->xi_fx[i][j] = W_extract_h( W_shl( temp64_1_i_acc, tmp_16 ) ); // exp:max_exp-tmp_16
+                COVls->xi_e[i][j] = sub( temp_exp, tmp_16 );
+                move32();
+                move16();
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    return;
+}
+
+
+#else
 /* Compute covariance matrix, i.e., xT * conj(x), and accumulate to the output */
 static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
     Word32 sr[MCMASA_MAX_ANA_CHANS][DIRAC_NO_FB_BANDS_MAX], /* i  : Input matrix, real, s[ch][freq]               (inp_exp) */
@@ -2133,6 +2241,7 @@ static void compute_cov_mtx_fx(
     }
     return;
 }
+#endif
 
 static void computeIntensityVector_enc_fx(
     const Word16 *band_grouping,