A method for approaching a starting position, which is provided at a working distance from a surface of a workpiece, for laser processing with a laser processing head having a distance sensor system, wherein the laser processing head should perform a contour cut of the workpiece, which starts at a workpiece edge of the workpiece, the method comprising the steps: providing position information relating to the starting position and space information relating to a predetermined entrance area, which at least partially extends at a distance to the surface of the workpiece, which is larger than the working distance, and which has a minimum distance from the starting position, the minimum distance allowing an adaptation of the distance of the laser processing head to the working distance during a movement of the laser processing head from the entrance area to the starting position, moving the laser processing head through the entrance area in direction of the starting position and activating a distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, after entry of the laser processing head in the entrance area, and continuing the moving of the laser processing head from the entrance area to the starting position, while adapting the distance of the laser processing head from the workpiece to the working distance by the distance control, characterized in that the method further comprises the steps: continuing the moving of the laser processing head beyond the workpiece edge, wherein there are performed a deactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and an activation of a distance freezing prior passing the workpiece edge, turning on a laser emission from the laser processing head, moving the laser processing head back to the workpiece edge and above the workpiece in direction of the starting position, and passing the starting position with the laser processing head at the working distance under laser emission, wherein there are performed a reactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and a deactivation of the distance freezing prior the passing of the starting position or at the starting position. providing position information relating to the starting position and space information relating to a predetermined entrance area, which at least partially extends at a distance to the surface of the workpiece, which is larger than the working distance, and which has a minimum distance from the starting position, the minimum distance allowing an adaptation of the distance of the laser processing head to the working distance during a movement of the laser processing head from the entrance area to the starting position, moving the laser processing head through the entrance area in direction of the starting position and activating a distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, after entry of the laser processing head in the entrance area, and continuing the moving of the laser processing head from the entrance area to the starting position, while adapting the distance of the laser processing head from the workpiece to the working distance by the distance control, characterized in that the method further comprises the steps: continuing the moving of the laser processing head beyond the workpiece edge, wherein there are performed a deactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and an activation of a distance freezing prior passing the workpiece edge, turning on a laser emission from the laser processing head, moving the laser processing head back to the workpiece edge and above the workpiece in direction of the starting position, and passing the starting position with the laser processing head at the working distance under laser emission, wherein there are performed a reactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and a deactivation of the distance freezing prior the passing of the starting position or at the starting position. continuing the moving of the laser processing head beyond the workpiece edge, wherein there are performed a deactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and an activation of a distance freezing prior passing the workpiece edge, turning on a laser emission from the laser processing head, moving the laser processing head back to the workpiece edge and above the workpiece in direction of the starting position, and passing the starting position with the laser processing head at the working distance under laser emission, wherein there are performed a reactivation of the distance control, which is based on the distance sensor system, and a deactivation of the distance freezing prior the passing of the starting position or at the starting position.