Device (50; 50A; 50B) for a welding control , with a determining module for determining an expected value (L E , I E , M E ) of a physical variable which occurs during a welding operation with a welding tool and is dependent on a force (F S (t); F S_ACT ) which at least one electrode of the welding tool exerts on at least one component when producing a welded connection , wherein the welding tool is a resistance welding tool which is designed as a welding gun with two electrodes , and a comparing module for comparing the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) with an actual value (L ACT , In_ ACT , Mn_ ACT ) of the physical variable which occurs during the welding operation with the welding tool in order to validate the plausibility of an actual value of the force (F S (t); F S_ACT ) recorded during the welding operation with the welding tool , wherein the determining module is designed to determine the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) with a model of the welding tool , wherein the model models the welding tool as a spring and has at least one parameter (k_E, Tt) determining the spring , wherein the comparing module is designed to discontinue the welding operation and optionally output an error message as a message to the welding control if a difference between the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) and the actual value (L ACT , In_ ACT , Mn_ ACT ) of the physical variable is greater than a predetermined limit value, wherein the physical variable is the position of the at least one electrode of the welding tool and the model comprises a modelled upward arm bending (A B ) of the welding tool , and/or wherein the physical variable is the drive current (In) of a drive device for driving the at least one electrode of the welding tool , and/or wherein the physical variable is a torque (M) of the drive device for driving the at least one electrode of the welding tool . a comparing module for comparing the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) with an actual value (L ACT , In_ ACT , Mn_ ACT ) of the physical variable which occurs during the welding operation with the welding tool in order to validate the plausibility of an actual value of the force (F S (t); F S_ACT ) recorded during the welding operation with the welding tool , wherein the determining module is designed to determine the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) with a model of the welding tool , wherein the model models the welding tool as a spring and has at least one parameter (k_E, Tt) determining the spring , wherein the comparing module is designed to discontinue the welding operation and optionally output an error message as a message to the welding control if a difference between the expected value (L E , I E , M E ) and the actual value (L ACT , In_ ACT , Mn_ ACT ) of the physical variable is greater than a predetermined limit value, wherein the physical variable is the position of the at least one electrode of the welding tool and the model comprises a modelled upward arm bending (A B ) of the welding tool , and/or wherein the physical variable is the drive current (In) of a drive device for driving the at least one electrode of the welding tool , and/or wherein the physical variable is a torque (M) of the drive device for driving the at least one electrode of the welding tool . <EOS>