Method for provisionally ensuring the functional capability of a housing of a machine, in particular a gas turbine, a steam turbine or a generator of a power plant, in the event of damage to the housing, wherein the housing has a housing upper part and a housing lower part, which are detachably fastened to one another by means of housing flanges and by means of threaded bolts that extend through the housing flanges and are secured by means of nuts, and wherein the damage to the housing is at least one crack which is present in one of the housing parts (2, 3) and extends toward the other housing part (2, 3), comprising the following steps: a) removing the threaded bolts extending through the housing flanges; b) positioning a respective metallic support plate on the outer side of each housing flange in such a way that holes of a hole pattern of the respective support plate are brought into alignment with the holes of a hole pattern of the associated housing flange provided for receiving the threaded bolts; and c) fastening the housing upper part to the housing lower part using threaded bolts and nuts in such a way that the threaded bolts each extend through a housing flange of the housing upper part, a housing flange of the housing lower part and through the support plates arranged on the outer sides thereof, wherein each support plate extends over at least 50% of the total length of the associated housing flange. in particular a gas turbine, a steam turbine or a generator of a power plant, in the event of damage to the housing, wherein the housing has a housing upper part and a housing lower part, which are detachably fastened to one another by means of housing flanges and by means of threaded bolts that extend through the housing flanges and are secured by means of nuts, and wherein the damage to the housing is at least one crack which is present in one of the housing parts (2, 3) and extends toward the other housing part (2, 3), comprising the following steps: a) removing the threaded bolts extending through the housing flanges; b) positioning a respective metallic support plate on the outer side of each housing flange in such a way that holes of a hole pattern of the respective support plate are brought into alignment with the holes of a hole pattern of the associated housing flange provided for receiving the threaded bolts; and c) fastening the housing upper part to the housing lower part using threaded bolts and nuts in such a way that the threaded bolts each extend through a housing flange of the housing upper part, a housing flange of the housing lower part and through the support plates arranged on the outer sides thereof, wherein a) removing the threaded bolts extending through the housing flanges; b) positioning a respective metallic support plate on the outer side of each housing flange in such a way that holes of a hole pattern of the respective support plate are brought into alignment with the holes of a hole pattern of the associated housing flange provided for receiving the threaded bolts; and c) fastening the housing upper part to the housing lower part using threaded bolts and nuts in such a way that the threaded bolts each extend through a housing flange of the housing upper part, a housing flange of the housing lower part and through the support plates arranged on the outer sides thereof, wherein each support plate extends over at least 50% of the total length of the associated housing flange.