Method for operating an ignition system having the steps of (a) energizing a primary coil of a first voltage generator and interrupting the energization of the primary coil to generate a voltage in a secondary coil of the first voltage generator in order to generate an ignition spark at a spark gap, (b) operating a second voltage generator to support the ignition spark generated by the first voltage generator in order to maintain the generated ignition spark at the spark gap, (c) measuring a spark current (i 2) and/or an output voltage (u 2) and/or a voltage corresponding to the output voltage on the secondary side of the ignition system, (d) identifying whether a threshold value condition is met by virtue of identifying whether the spark current (i 2) undershoots a first threshold value or whether the output voltage (u 2) or the voltage corresponding to the output voltage (u 2) exceeds a second threshold value or whether the spark current (i 2) is equal to zero or whether the spark current (i 2) is equal to zero and is still equal to zero after a predetermined time has passed, characterized by the steps of (e) provided that the threshold value condition is met: re-energizing the primary coil of the first voltage generator for a predetermined time or until a primary coil current (i ZS) reaches a predetermined third threshold, then interrupting the energization of the primary coil to generate a voltage in the secondary coil of the first voltage generator in order to generate a new ignition spark at the spark gap, (f) further or re-energizing the second voltage generator to support the ignition spark generated by the first voltage generator in order to maintain the generated ignition spark at the spark gap. (a) energizing a primary coil of a first voltage generator and interrupting the energization of the primary coil to generate a voltage in a secondary coil of the first voltage generator in order to generate an ignition spark at a spark gap, (b) operating a second voltage generator to support the ignition spark generated by the first voltage generator in order to maintain the generated ignition spark at the spark gap, (c) measuring a spark current (i 2) and/or an output voltage (u 2) and/or a voltage corresponding to the output voltage on the secondary side of the ignition system, (d) identifying whether a threshold value condition is met by virtue of identifying whether the spark current (i 2) undershoots a first threshold value or whether the output voltage (u 2) or the voltage corresponding to the output voltage (u 2) exceeds a second threshold value or whether the spark current (i 2) is equal to zero or whether the spark current (i 2) is equal to zero and is still equal to zero after a predetermined time has passed, characterized by the steps of (e) provided that the threshold value condition is met: re-energizing the primary coil of the first voltage generator for a predetermined time or until a primary coil current (i ZS) reaches a predetermined third threshold, then interrupting the energization of the primary coil to generate a voltage in the secondary coil of the first voltage generator in order to generate a new ignition spark at the spark gap, re-energizing the primary coil of the first voltage generator for a predetermined time or until a primary coil current (i ZS) reaches a predetermined third threshold, then interrupting the energization of the primary coil to generate a voltage in the secondary coil of the first voltage generator in order to generate a new ignition spark at the spark gap, (f) further or re-energizing the second voltage generator to support the ignition spark generated by the first voltage generator in order to maintain the generated ignition spark at the spark gap.