A phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system adapted to be coupled to a phase-cut dimmer, the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprising: a boost converter arranged to generate a link voltage (V LINK ); an active circuit to dissipate excess power in a link path of a switching power converter when the switching power converter receives more energy than an amount of energy to be provided to a load coupled to the switching power converter plus inherent energy losses, characterized in that phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprises a controller that controls dissipation of excess energy in the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system to prevent a premature disconnection of the phase-cut dimmer, wherein the link path of the switching power converter is one of: (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit arranged to be controlled by the controller to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch ; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path ; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK ), and a controllable current source ; wherein the controllable current source is arranged to be controlled by the controller to control a primary current through a flyback FET . a boost converter arranged to generate a link voltage (V LINK ); an active circuit to dissipate excess power in a link path of a switching power converter when the switching power converter receives more energy than an amount of energy to be provided to a load coupled to the switching power converter plus inherent energy losses, characterized in that phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system comprises a controller that controls dissipation of excess energy in the phase-cut compatible dimmable lighting system to prevent a premature disconnection of the phase-cut dimmer, wherein the link path of the switching power converter is one of: (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit arranged to be controlled by the controller to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch ; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path ; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK ), and a controllable current source ; (i) a switch path power dissipation circuit arranged to be controlled by the controller to control dissipation of the excess energy by at least a boost switch ; (ii) a link path power dissipation circuit coupled to the link voltage (VLINK) and arranged to be controlled by the controller to dissipate excess energy through an output power dissipation path ; and (iii) a flyback path power dissipation circuit comprising: a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK ), and a controllable current source ; a flyback converter arranged to receive the link voltage (V LINK ), and a controllable current source ; wherein the controllable current source is arranged to be controlled by the controller to control a primary current through a flyback FET . <EOS>