Abstract: A gentle start electronic ballast operates one or more gas discharge lamps in a dimming or non-dimming mode. The ballast has a power supply section and a frequency-dependent control section. A power supply section includes a rectifier circuit, a power boosting circuit, a power factor compensation chip for the ballast, a control circuit to insure startup of the power factor compensation chip on the first haversine produced by the rectifier circuit and an in-rush current limiter that is removed from the operational circuit path of the ballast by the control circuit once the power factor compensation chip is rendered self-sustaining by the power boosting circuit.