A phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system adapted to be coupled to a phase-cut dimmer, the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprising: a boost converter arranged to generate a link voltage (V LINK); an active circuit to dissipate excess power in a link path of a switching power converter when the switching power converter receives more energy than an amount of energy to be provided to a load coupled to the switching power converter plus inherent energy losses, characterized in that phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprises a controller (408, 506) that controls dissipation of excess energy in the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system to prevent a premature disconnection of the phase-cut dimmer, wherein the link path of the switching power converter is one of: (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit (402, 502) arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit (404, 1602) coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit (406, 1002) comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK), and a controllable current source; wherein the controllable current source is arranged to be controlled (408, 506) by the controller (408, 506) to control a primary current through a flyback FET. a boost converter arranged to generate a link voltage (V LINK); an active circuit to dissipate excess power in a link path of a switching power converter when the switching power converter receives more energy than an amount of energy to be provided to a load coupled to the switching power converter plus inherent energy losses, characterized in that phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprises a controller (408, 506) that controls dissipation of excess energy in the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system to prevent a premature disconnection of the phase-cut dimmer, wherein the link path of the switching power converter is one of: (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit (402, 502) arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit (404, 1602) coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit (406, 1002) comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK), and a controllable current source; (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit (402, 502) arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit (404, 1602) coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller (408, 506) to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit (406, 1002) comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK), and a controllable current source; a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK), and a controllable current source; wherein the controllable current source is arranged to be controlled (408, 506) by the controller (408, 506) to control a primary current through a flyback FET.