Index: source/Lib/TLibCommon/TypeDef.h
===================================================================
--- source/Lib/TLibCommon/TypeDef.h	(revision 2966)
+++ source/Lib/TLibCommon/TypeDef.h	(working copy)
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 #define SAO_ENCODING_RATE_CHROMA         0.5
 #endif
 #endif
+#define SAO_TEST_DISABLED           1 ///< Test for whether SAO completely disabled produces the lowest cost.
 
 #define MAX_NUM_VPS                16
 #define MAX_NUM_SPS                16
Index: source/Lib/TLibEncoder/TEncSampleAdaptiveOffset.cpp
===================================================================
--- source/Lib/TLibEncoder/TEncSampleAdaptiveOffset.cpp	(revision 2966)
+++ source/Lib/TLibEncoder/TEncSampleAdaptiveOffset.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -1865,6 +1865,9 @@
   Int addr = 0;
   Int addrUp = -1;
   Int addrLeft = -1;
+#if SAO_TEST_DISABLED
+  double totalCost = 0;
+#endif
   Int compIdx = 0;
   SaoLcuParam mergeSaoParam[3][2];
   Double compDistortion[3];
@@ -1899,6 +1902,11 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+#if SAO_TEST_DISABLED
+  m_pcRDGoOnSbacCoder->load(m_pppcRDSbacCoder[0][CI_CURR_BEST]);
+  m_pcRDGoOnSbacCoder->store(m_pppcRDSbacCoder[0][CI_NEXT_BEST]); // next best if SAO is to be disabled.
+#endif
+
   for (idxY = 0; idxY< frameHeightInCU; idxY++)
   {
     for (idxX = 0; idxX< frameWidthInCU; idxX++)
@@ -2039,6 +2047,10 @@
             }
           }
         }
+#if SAO_TEST_DISABLED
+        totalCost += bestCost;
+#endif
+
 #if SAO_ENCODING_CHOICE
 #if SAO_ENCODING_CHOICE_CHROMA
 if( saoParam->saoLcuParam[0][addr].typeIdx == -1)
@@ -2064,6 +2076,17 @@
       }
     }
   }
+
+#if SAO_TEST_DISABLED
+  if (totalCost >= 0.0)
+  {
+    saoParam->bSaoFlag[0]=false;
+    saoParam->bSaoFlag[1]=false;
+    m_pcRDGoOnSbacCoder->load(m_pppcRDSbacCoder[0][CI_NEXT_BEST]);
+    m_pcRDGoOnSbacCoder->store(m_pppcRDSbacCoder[0][CI_CURR_BEST]);
+  }
+#endif
+
 #if SAO_ENCODING_CHOICE
 #if SAO_ENCODING_CHOICE_CHROMA
   if( !saoParam->bSaoFlag[0])