Method for operating an electric inverter that is driving an electric machine , wherein - a controller circuit stores a first vector set of command vectors for alternatingly connecting four stator phases or more than four stator phases of the electric machine to a positive potential (U+) and a negative potential (U-) for setting spatial components of an electro-magnetic field vector inside the electric machine , and - in a normal operation mode the controller circuit drives the electric machine by switching the inverter on the basis of the vector set of command vectors (V), and - a fault detection unit detects a fault of a predefined fault type, the fault type comprising that one of the stator phases is permanently connected to one of the potentials (U+, U-) or to one of the other stator phases , wherein for the fault type a predefined additional vector set of command vectors (V) is provided and the controller circuit continues driving the electric machine in a fault regime mode by switching the inverter on the basis of the additional vector set of command vectors (V), wherein the command vectors (V) of the additional vector set are designed to compensate in the electro-magnetic field vector a spatial component generated by the fault , characterized by providing redundant shut-off circuits for deactivating the electric machine , wherein the shut-off circuits are comprised in the controller circuit and all shut-off circuits are located in a low-voltage signal path connecting the controller circuit to the inverter , such that the redundant shut-off circuits are all provided in the low-power domain of the electric inverter . - a controller circuit stores a first vector set of command vectors for alternatingly connecting four stator phases or more than four stator phases of the electric machine to a positive potential (U+) and a negative potential (U-) for setting spatial components of an electro-magnetic field vector inside the electric machine , and - in a normal operation mode the controller circuit drives the electric machine by switching the inverter on the basis of the vector set of command vectors (V), and - a fault detection unit detects a fault of a predefined fault type, the fault type comprising that one of the stator phases is permanently connected to one of the potentials (U+, U-) or to one of the other stator phases , wherein for the fault type a predefined additional vector set of command vectors (V) is provided and the controller circuit continues driving the electric machine in a fault regime mode by switching the inverter on the basis of the additional vector set of command vectors (V), wherein the command vectors (V) of the additional vector set are designed to compensate in the electro-magnetic field vector a spatial component generated by the fault , characterized by providing redundant shut-off circuits for deactivating the electric machine , wherein the shut-off circuits are comprised in the controller circuit and all shut-off circuits are located in a low-voltage signal path connecting the controller circuit to the inverter , such that the redundant shut-off circuits are all provided in the low-power domain of the electric inverter . <EOS>