Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a fuel injector (10) and to a fuel injector (10) which is configured to carry out the method. The method comprises the steps of introducing a fuel under high pressure into a feed passage (78) and branching off a substream of the fuel under high pressure into a control space (74) in which an axial end face (70) of the nozzle needle (50) is loaded with the pressure such that the nozzle needle (50) is hydraulically loaded in the closing direction, and of opening a control valve (90) such that an outflow path arranged downstream of the control valve (90) in an outflow direction is freed and fuel flows out of the control space (74) in order to relieve the nozzle needle (50), wherein the fuel flowing out via the outflow path is divided into at least two substreams.