Method for operating an optoelectronic sensor of a motor vehicle, in which during a measuring cycle for capturing an object, light pulses are emitted using an emitting device and the light pulses reflected by the object are received using a receiving device, wherein a light source (12 - Fig. 2) of the emitting device is controlled at determined emission time points to emit the light pulses and the light pulses are diverted using a diverting unit of the emitting device within a predetermined angle range (12 - Fig. 1), wherein the light source (12 - Fig. 2) is controlled in such a way that time intervals between the determined emission time points differ from one another, characterized in that the diverting unit has an oscillating mirror element, which is periodically deflected to deflect the light pulses, in that a deflection angle (a) of the mirror element is determined and the light source (12 - Fig. 2) is controlled in dependence on the determined deflection angle (α), in that a plurality of angle positions for the emission of the light pulses is determined within the angle range (12 - Fig. 1), an emission deflection angle is determined for each of the angle positions, and the respective light pulse is emitted if the deflection angle (a) of the mirror element corresponds to one of the emission deflection angles, in that, on the basis of the current deflection angle (a) of the mirror element, an emission deflection angle closest to the current deflection angle (a) is determined and the light pulse is emitted if the current deflection angle (a) corresponds to the closest emission deflection angle, and in that, on the basis of the current deflection angle (a) and the closest emission deflection angle, a waiting time (td) is determined, after the passage of which the mirror element will reach the closest emission deflection angle, and the light pulse will be emitted after the passage of the waiting time (td). characterized in that the diverting unit has an oscillating mirror element, which is periodically deflected to deflect the light pulses, in that a deflection angle (a) of the mirror element is determined and the light source (12 - Fig. 2) is controlled in dependence on the determined deflection angle (α), in that a plurality of angle positions for the emission of the light pulses is determined within the angle range (12 - Fig. 1), an emission deflection angle is determined for each of the angle positions, and the respective light pulse is emitted if the deflection angle (a) of the mirror element corresponds to one of the emission deflection angles, in that, on the basis of the current deflection angle (a) of the mirror element, an emission deflection angle closest to the current deflection angle (a) is determined and the light pulse is emitted if the current deflection angle (a) corresponds to the closest emission deflection angle, and in that, on the basis of the current deflection angle (a) and the closest emission deflection angle, a waiting time (td) is determined, after the passage of which the mirror element will reach the closest emission deflection angle, and the light pulse will be emitted after the passage of the waiting time (td).