Method for setting an idle stroke of an actuating drive of an injection valve in relation to a control element which can be actuated by the actuating drive, wherein the actuating drive is arranged in an injector body and the control element is arranged in a control-element housing in such a way that it can be moved in the direction of a longitudinal axis, and the injector body and the control-element housing are arranged in the axial direction with respect to one another, in which - an axial clamping force is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing, such that a part of the injector body or a part of the control-element housing which is arranged in a force flow path, formed by the axial clamping force, in the injector body and the control-element housing is permanently deformed, until a value (VAL_EL) of a representative electric variable which is determined directly or indirectly for the idle stroke of the actuating drive is in a predetermined range of values, - the axial clamping force on the injector body and the control-element housing is applied at least in part by means of a clamping device formed separately from the injection valve, - an axial clamping force with a predetermined first value (F_1) is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing by means of the clamping device separate from the injection valve, - a further axial clamping force with a predetermined value (F_SE) is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing by means of a clamping element of the injection valve, - a base value (VAL_EL_BAS) of the electric variable representative of the idle stroke of the actuating drive is determined, - a second value (F_2) of the axial clamping force of the clamping device, which is dependent on the base value (VAL_EL_BAS) determined, is determined, - the axial clamping force of the clamping device with the second value (F_2) determined is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing, and - the axial clamping force of the clamping element on the injector body and the control-element housing is varied until the value (VAL_EL) of the electric variable representative of the idle stroke of the actuating drive is in the predetermined range of values. - an axial clamping force is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing, such that a part of the injector body or a part of the control-element housing which is arranged in a force flow path, formed by the axial clamping force, in the injector body and the control-element housing is permanently deformed, until a value (VAL_EL) of a representative electric variable which is determined directly or indirectly for the idle stroke of the actuating drive is in a predetermined range of values, - the axial clamping force on the injector body and the control-element housing is applied at least in part by means of a clamping device formed separately from the injection valve, - an axial clamping force with a predetermined first value (F_1) is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing by means of the clamping device separate from the injection valve, - a further axial clamping force with a predetermined value (F_SE) is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing by means of a clamping element of the injection valve, - a base value (VAL_EL_BAS) of the electric variable representative of the idle stroke of the actuating drive is determined, - a second value (F_2) of the axial clamping force of the clamping device, which is dependent on the base value (VAL_EL_BAS) determined, is determined, - the axial clamping force of the clamping device with the second value (F_2) determined is applied to the injector body and the control-element housing, and - the axial clamping force of the clamping element on the injector body and the control-element housing is varied until the value (VAL_EL) of the electric variable representative of the idle stroke of the actuating drive is in the predetermined range of values.