Abstract: A temperature-dependent base desired value for the opening angle is determined in a method for precontrolling the opening angle of a throttle flap during the idle engine-speed control of an internal combustion engine. This temperature-dependent base desired value is then modified within a start-time duration. The modification takes place in that, during start, a temperature-dependent angle increase is determined which is multiplied by a time-reduced multiplier factor and the product is additively superposed on the base desired value. With this procedure, and notwithstanding the simple method sequence, it is ensured that the start phase of a warm internal combustion engine takes place without engine-speed increases. It is especially advantageous to modify additional engine-speed base desired values in a corresponding manner. In this case, hardly any additional measures must be undertaken which go beyond those which must be undertaken to modify the base desired value for the opening angle of the throttle flap.