A method for controlling a regulator for dimming of a light emitting diode load comprising: providing a first dimming signal having a first frequency and a selectable duty cycle for controlling a ratio of LED ON-times versus LED OFF times, the first dimming signal generating an ON-pulse for each ON/OFF cycle; controlling an LED load switch by the first dimming signal to turn the LED load switch on and off to selectively conduct current through the LED load; controlling a regulator to supply current to the LED load during the LED ON-time, and to supply no current to the LED load during the OFF-time, the regulator having an inductor; detecting an inductor current (IL, ILED) during a steady-state condition of the regulator during the ON-time to generate a first value corresponding to the inductor current; storing the first value during the OFF-time; pre-charging the inductor to a target current level related to the stored first value, prior to a next ON-time of the LED load; after the inductor has been pre-charged to the target current level, stopping pre-charging the inductor and controlling the regulator to supply current to the LED load during the LED ON-time; and maintaining a control signal in a feedback loop of the regulator substantially constant during the OFF-time, wherein the inductor is pre-charged with a current approximately equal to the inductor current during the steady-state condition of the regulator at the time when the LED load switch is turned on at the beginning of an LED ON-time so that the current supplied to the LED load at the beginning of the ON-time is approximately equal to the current supplied to the LED load at the end of the previous ON-time. providing a first dimming signal having a first frequency and a selectable duty cycle for controlling a ratio of LED ON-times versus LED OFF times, the first dimming signal generating an ON-pulse for each ON/OFF cycle; controlling an LED load switch by the first dimming signal to turn the LED load switch on and off to selectively conduct current through the LED load; controlling a regulator to supply current to the LED load during the LED ON-time, and to supply no current to the LED load during the OFF-time, the regulator having an inductor; detecting an inductor current (IL, ILED) during a steady-state condition of the regulator during the ON-time to generate a first value corresponding to the inductor current; storing the first value during the OFF-time; pre-charging the inductor to a target current level related to the stored first value, prior to a next ON-time of the LED load; after the inductor has been pre-charged to the target current level, stopping pre-charging the inductor and controlling the regulator to supply current to the LED load during the LED ON-time; and maintaining a control signal in a feedback loop of the regulator substantially constant during the OFF-time, wherein the inductor is pre-charged with a current approximately equal to the inductor current during the steady-state condition of the regulator at the time when the LED load switch is turned on at the beginning of an LED ON-time so that the current supplied to the LED load at the beginning of the ON-time is approximately equal to the current supplied to the LED load at the end of the previous ON-time.