diff --git a/metis_l2_prep_vl_polariz.pro b/metis_l2_prep_vl_polariz.pro
index a7ffaa561828eb7d4a56b8bbb351bf8139688fae..a53999d826681ccf6046d16b55ad1549967ec13c 100755
--- a/metis_l2_prep_vl_polariz.pro
+++ b/metis_l2_prep_vl_polariz.pro
@@ -181,13 +181,19 @@ pro metis_l2_prep_vl_polariz
 
 			; check the polarization state of the image and select the corresponding dacpol value
 
-			case data_header[j].pol_id of
-				1: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol1
-				2: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol2
-				3: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol3
-				4: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol4
-			endcase
+			if fix(data_header[j].hdr_vers) le 4 then begin
+				case data_header[j].pol_id of
+					1: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol1
+					2: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol2
+					3: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol3
+					4: dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol4
+				endcase
+			endif
 
+			if fix(data_header[j].hdr_vers) ge 5 then begin
+				dacpol = data_header[j].dac1pol1
+			endif
+			
 			; select the correct demodulation tensor element based on effective angle and stokes paramater
 
 			k = where(dacpol_cal.dacpol eq dacpol)