Method for operating a receptacle treatment machine (1, 1') comprising at least one upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) and at least one downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) being synchronized with and having the same working speed as the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) and the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) and the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) being arranged along a conveying path of receptacles; the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) and downstream treatment apparatuses (6, 7, 8, 53) being configured to treat the receptacles and the receptacle treatment machine (1, 1') further comprises at least one accumulation unit adapted to store receptacles; the method comprises the steps of: - advancing the receptacles along said conveying path; - treating the receptacles in the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8); - feeding the receptacles from the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) to the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); - advancing the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); and - detecting a normal working condition of the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) at which the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) is apt to correctly treat the receptacles or an atypical working condition at which the correct treatment of the receptacles by the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) is compromised; wherein in the case of the normal working condition the method comprises the further steps of: - treating the receptacles in the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) during advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); and - further advancing the receptacles along the conveying path; the method being characterized in that in the case of the atypical working condition the method further comprises the steps of: - suspending the treatment of the receptacles during advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); - feeding the receptacles at a transfer station downstream of the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) along the conveying path to the accumulation unit; and - feeding the receptacles from the accumulation unit back to the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53), to advance the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) and to treat the receptacles during said advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) after recovery of the normal working condition. - advancing the receptacles along said conveying path; - treating the receptacles in the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8); - feeding the receptacles from the upstream treatment apparatus (5, 6, 7, 8) to the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); - advancing the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); and - detecting a normal working condition of the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) at which the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) is apt to correctly treat the receptacles or an atypical working condition at which the correct treatment of the receptacles by the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) is compromised; - treating the receptacles in the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) during advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); and - further advancing the receptacles along the conveying path; - suspending the treatment of the receptacles during advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53); - feeding the receptacles at a transfer station downstream of the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) along the conveying path to the accumulation unit; and - feeding the receptacles from the accumulation unit back to the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53), to advance the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) and to treat the receptacles during said advancement of the receptacles through the downstream treatment apparatus (6, 7, 8, 53) after recovery of the normal working condition.