Abstract: For a motor vehicle control device including one or more first high-side-actuated loads which is/are driven by a load actuator and, in particular, at least one further high-side actuated load, wherein the load actuator and the loads are supplied with voltage via at least two high-side paths and via one or more low-side paths connected to a reference potential, a reliable, electronic polarity reversal protection, which ensures a high degree of operational security, is to be made available for a control device, which polarity reversal protection is more cost-effective than existing circuits for polarity reversal protection. For this purpose, at least one active semiconductor component is connected as a polarity reversal protection into a low-side path.