Abstract: A method for operating an internal combustion engine whose exhaust area has at least one SCR catalytic converter and a device for carrying out the method are described. The SCR catalytic converter receiving the reagent supports the conversion of the raw NOx emission of the internal combustion engine. At least a measure of the NOx concentration occurring downstream from the SCR catalytic converter is calculated and this value may be used to define a metering signal for the reagent and/or a heating measure for heating the SCR catalytic converter may be initiated. According to a refinement of this arrangement, a difference between the calculated NOx concentration and the sum of the measured NOx concentration and the measured reagent concentration downstream from the SCR catalytic converter is determined, and it is possible to intervene in the determination of the metering signal depending on the difference.