Abstract: A circuit for the protection the contacts of a switch device such as a reed switch when used in a control circuit. The protection circuit isolates the switch contacts from the load it is controlling by establishing parallel electrical current paths between two inputs. Two such parallel paths provide for a symmetrical bi-directional current flow within the protection circuit. Each parallel path contains a controlled switching device which conducts the current in the respective parallel path when the input polarity is in a given direction. The controlled switching device may be controlled from a polarity sensing in the primary branch which contains the switch device. A single parallel path between inputs can be used to provide polarized DC operation. Diodes in the primary path containing the switch device provide for polarity sensing for control of the controlled switch devices in the parallel paths.