Results. We confirm that HD 161853 is an similar to 1 Ma old binary system consisting of an O8 V star (M-A,M-RV >= 22 M-circle dot) and a B1-3 V star (M-B,M-RV >= 7.2 M-circle dot) at about 1.3 kpc. From the radial velocity curve, we measure an orbital period P = 2.66765 +/- 0.00001 d and an eccentricity e = 0.121 +/- 0.007. Its V-band light curve is constant within 0.014 mag and does not display eclipses, from which we impose a maximum orbital inclination i = 54 deg. HD 161853 is probably associated with an H ii region and a poorly investigated very young open cluster. In addition, we detect a compact emission region at 50 arcsec to HD 161853 in 22 mu m-WISE and 24 mu m-Spitzer images, which may be identified as a dust wave piled up by the radiation pressure of the massive binary system.