Operating method for a permanent brake system of a motor vehicle, (a) wherein the permanent brake system has a primary permanent brake and a secondary permanent brake, wherein the secondary permanent brake is a secondary retarder, wherein the primary permanent brake has a first primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable first braking torque component and a second primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable second braking torque component, wherein the first primary permanent brake device has a more rapid response behaviour compared to the second primary permanent brake device, and wherein a third braking torque component can be adjusted by means of the secondary permanent brake, characterized (b) in that the permanent-brake braking request is applied by the first primary permanent brake device in a time period after the activation of a permanent brake mode and until a permanent-brake braking request exceeds a first threshold value (P1 max) for the first time after the activation of the permanent brake mode, wherein the first threshold value (P1 max) is defined in such a way that it corresponds to a value which is less than or equal to a maximum braking torque which can be generated by the first primary permanent brake device, and (c) in that after the permanent-brake braking request has exceeded the first threshold value (P1 max) for the first time and as long as the permanent-brake braking request has not yet exceeded a second threshold value after the activation of a permanent brake mode, a component of the permanent-brake braking request which exceeds the first threshold value (P1 max) is applied by the secondary permanent brake, wherein the second threshold value is defined in such a way that it corresponds to a value which is less than or equal to a braking torque which is the maximum which can be generated when the first primary permanent brake device interacts with the secondary permanent brake. (a) wherein the permanent brake system has a primary permanent brake and a secondary permanent brake, wherein the secondary permanent brake is a secondary retarder, wherein the primary permanent brake has a first primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable first braking torque component and a second primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable second braking torque component, wherein the first primary permanent brake device has a more rapid response behaviour compared to the second primary permanent brake device, and wherein a third braking torque component can be adjusted by means of the secondary permanent brake, characterized wherein the primary permanent brake has a first primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable first braking torque component and a second primary permanent brake device for generating an adjustable second braking torque component, wherein the first primary permanent brake device has a more rapid response behaviour compared to the second primary permanent brake device, and wherein a third braking torque component can be adjusted by means of the secondary permanent brake, characterized (b) in that the permanent-brake braking request is applied by the first primary permanent brake device in a time period after the activation of a permanent brake mode and until a permanent-brake braking request exceeds a first threshold value (P1 max) for the first time after the activation of the permanent brake mode, wherein the first threshold value (P1 max) is defined in such a way that it corresponds to a value which is less than or equal to a maximum braking torque which can be generated by the first primary permanent brake device, and (c) in that after the permanent-brake braking request has exceeded the first threshold value (P1 max) for the first time and as long as the permanent-brake braking request has not yet exceeded a second threshold value after the activation of a permanent brake mode, a component of the permanent-brake braking request which exceeds the first threshold value (P1 max) is applied by the secondary permanent brake, wherein the second threshold value is defined in such a way that it corresponds to a value which is less than or equal to a braking torque which is the maximum which can be generated when the first primary permanent brake device interacts with the secondary permanent brake.