diff --git a/src/opus_encoder.c b/src/opus_encoder.c
index 2701488d7fe80e4dfe4e8d828d6548b7d5a1e1ca..081d7bf4c4ea3bd9be6f647162a308d1d2a20cac 100644
--- a/src/opus_encoder.c
+++ b/src/opus_encoder.c
@@ -1816,7 +1816,10 @@ opus_int32 opus_encode_native(OpusEncoder *st, const opus_val16 *pcm, int frame_
         {
            if (st->mode == MODE_HYBRID)
            {
-              st->silk_mode.maxBits = IMIN(st->silk_mode.maxBits, st->silk_mode.bitRate * frame_size / st->Fs);
+              /* Allow SILK to steal up to 25% of the remaining bits */
+              opus_int16 other_bits = IMAX(0, st->silk_mode.maxBits - st->silk_mode.bitRate * frame_size / st->Fs);
+              st->silk_mode.maxBits = IMAX(0, st->silk_mode.maxBits - other_bits*3/4);
+              st->silk_mode.useCBR = 0;
            }
         } else {
            /* Constrained VBR. */