A method for operating an axial separator for a combine harvester, comprising - at least one housing, - a separating rotor which is mounted inside the housing for driven rotation about its longitudinal axis, as well as - at least one guide element disposed on the housing, wherein the housing has an intake region for receiving a flow of harvested material to be processed, wherein the flow of harvested material can be processed in a separating region located downstream of the intake region by means of cooperation of the separating rotor with the housing, so that a fraction of material contained in the flow of harvested material can be separated out of the flow of harvested material, and in this manner the flow of harvested material can be converted into a flow of residual material, wherein the housing has a discharge region downstream of the separating region for discharging the flow of residual material out of the axial separator, wherein the guide element is associated with the discharge region and by means of the guide element, a direction of flow of the flow of residual material discharging from the discharge region can be influenced, wherein the guide element - considered in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the separating rotor - has mutually opposing marginal edges (10, 11), wherein at least one marginal edge of the guide element is at least partially inclined or stepped in configuration, characterized in that the guide element is continuously moved in a cyclic manner between a storage position and a distribution position opposite to the storage position relative to the housing, wherein a radial distance of the guide element from the longitudinal axis of the separating rotor remains constant during the course of the movement. - at least one housing, - a separating rotor which is mounted inside the housing for driven rotation about its longitudinal axis, as well as - at least one guide element disposed on the housing, wherein the housing has an intake region for receiving a flow of harvested material to be processed, wherein the flow of harvested material can be processed in a separating region located downstream of the intake region by means of cooperation of the separating rotor with the housing, so that a fraction of material contained in the flow of harvested material can be separated out of the flow of harvested material, and in this manner the flow of harvested material can be converted into a flow of residual material, wherein the housing has a discharge region downstream of the separating region for discharging the flow of residual material out of the axial separator, wherein the guide element is associated with the discharge region and by means of the guide element, a direction of flow of the flow of residual material discharging from the discharge region can be influenced, wherein the guide element - considered in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the separating rotor - has mutually opposing marginal edges (10, 11), wherein at least one marginal edge of the guide element is at least partially inclined or stepped in configuration, characterized in that the guide element is continuously moved in a cyclic manner between a storage position and a distribution position opposite to the storage position relative to the housing, wherein a radial distance of the guide element from the longitudinal axis of the separating rotor remains constant during the course of the movement.