Internal combustion engine which has at least one exhaust line and an exhaust-gas turbocharger connected to the at least one exhaust line, wherein the at least one exhaust line has, between the internal combustion engine and the exhaust-gas turbocharger, a parallel exhaust-gas branch which is connected to a discharge port and to a return port of the at least one exhaust line, said return port being arranged downstream of the discharge port as viewed in a flow direction, which parallel exhaust-gas branch has an exhaust-gas cooler arranged therein, wherein one or more valve device(s) (13a, 13b, 15) is/are arranged in the exhaust line and/or in the parallel exhaust-gas branch such that, when said valve device(s) is/are actuated, a fraction of the exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine flowing through the exhaust line can be conducted through the exhaust-gas cooler for cooling purposes before flowing through the exhaust-gas turbocharger, characterized in that - a first valve device in the form of a valve flap is arranged in the region of the discharge port of the respective exhaust line such that said first valve device, to the extent of an actuation, continuously closes the exhaust line downstream of the discharge port as viewed in the flow direction, a second valve device in the form of a valve flap is arranged in the region of the return port of the respective exhaust line such that said valve device, to the extent of an actuation, continuously opens the return port, and in that that fraction of the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust line which is conducted through the exhaust-gas cooler lies between 0% and 100%, or - the discharge port and the return port are arranged offset on the respective exhaust line (6, 6a) so as to be situated opposite one another, wherein a valve device is arranged in the exhaust line (6, 6a) between discharge port and return port, which valve device is in the form of a rotary slide valve such that, to the extent of its actuation, it continuously opens the discharge port and simultaneously continuously opens the return port, and to the same extent of the actuation, closes the exhaust line between discharge port and return port. - a first valve device in the form of a valve flap is arranged in the region of the discharge port of the respective exhaust line such that said first valve device, to the extent of an actuation, continuously closes the exhaust line downstream of the discharge port as viewed in the flow direction, a second valve device in the form of a valve flap is arranged in the region of the return port of the respective exhaust line such that said valve device, to the extent of an actuation, continuously opens the return port, and in that that fraction of the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust line which is conducted through the exhaust-gas cooler lies between 0% and 100%, or - the discharge port and the return port are arranged offset on the respective exhaust line (6, 6a) so as to be situated opposite one another, wherein a valve device is arranged in the exhaust line (6, 6a) between discharge port and return port, which valve device is in the form of a rotary slide valve such that, to the extent of its actuation, it continuously opens the discharge port and simultaneously continuously opens the return port, and to the same extent of the actuation, closes the exhaust line between discharge port and return port.