Method for operating a particle sensor for determining a particle content in a gas stream, comprising the following steps: - providing a particle sensor, wherein the particle sensor has, on its surface, a sensor structure for ascertaining a soot loading and at least one heating element which is separated from the sensor structure by an insulation layer and by way of which the particle sensor can be heated in a regeneration phase and in doing so a soot loading on the particle sensor can be removed and by way of which a heating phase can be carried out at least temporarily before the regeneration phase, and wherein the particle sensor has a temperature sensor which is integrated in the particle sensor, and - carrying out a heating phase and a regeneration phase, wherein the heating phase is carried out before the regeneration phase, wherein a temperature which is considerably lower than the regeneration temperature is adjusted in this heating phase, wherein brief temperature drops owing to wetting by water can be detected by way of the temperature sensor, characterized in that, during this heating phase before the regeneration phase, the duration of this heating phase can be extended if a temperature deviation owing to the wetting by water from a specific temperature bandwidth about a temperature setpoint value is detected for a specific time, and - in that a timer for controlling the duration of the heating phase before the regeneration phase is respectively reset and/or restarted if a temperature deviation owing to the wetting by water from the specific temperature bandwidth about the temperature setpoint value is detected, and - in that a counter is incremented each time the timer is reset and/or restarted and the counter reading is evaluated for enabling the regeneration phase. - providing a particle sensor, wherein the particle sensor has, on its surface, a sensor structure for ascertaining a soot loading and at least one heating element which is separated from the sensor structure by an insulation layer and by way of which the particle sensor can be heated in a regeneration phase and in doing so a soot loading on the particle sensor can be removed and by way of which a heating phase can be carried out at least temporarily before the regeneration phase, and wherein the particle sensor has a temperature sensor which is integrated in the particle sensor, and - carrying out a heating phase and a regeneration phase, wherein the heating phase is carried out before the regeneration phase, wherein a temperature which is considerably lower than the regeneration temperature is adjusted in this heating phase, wherein brief temperature drops owing to wetting by water can be detected by way of the temperature sensor, characterized in that, during this heating phase before the regeneration phase, the duration of this heating phase can be extended if a temperature deviation owing to the wetting by water from a specific temperature bandwidth about a temperature setpoint value is detected for a specific time, and - in that a timer for controlling the duration of the heating phase before the regeneration phase is respectively reset and/or restarted if a temperature deviation owing to the wetting by water from the specific temperature bandwidth about the temperature setpoint value is detected, and - in that a counter is incremented each time the timer is reset and/or restarted and the counter reading is evaluated for enabling the regeneration phase.