The invention relates to a control device and a control method for a vehicle drive device. When the speed-change time section of an automatic speed-change part (20) is judged to be overlapped with the time section for starting an engine (8), an engine starting/stopping control device used as a speed-change time engine starting control device controls the rotation of the engine during the speed-change period of the automatic speed-change part (20) and also controls the generation of the torque of the engine after the speed-change of the automatic speed-change part (20) is completed so as to start the engine (8). Therefore, the torque (T) is generated after the speed-change of the automatic speed-change part (20) is completed even the rotation speed (N) of the engine is increased to apredetermined rotation speed (N') or a higher rotation speed during the speed-change period of the automatic speed-change part (20), thereby restraining the impact caused by the engine (8) and generating the torque of the engine quickly.