The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for starting an internal combustion engine with at least one starter (1), said arrangement comprising a starter motor (2), a meshing relay (4), a switching relay (7) and a control relay (3), the control relay (3) being controlled by an ignition switch (8), the meshing relay (4) being controlled by the control relay (3), and a current path (50.5) of the starter motor (2) being opened by the switching relay (7). The aim of the invention is to increase the operating precision of the starter (1) for starting the internal combustion engine and to thereby increase the service life. To this end, the switching relay (7) can be controlled, at least during the switch-off process, according to the occurrence of a defined event. This is advantageous in that the switching relay can interrupt earlier a current path from the starter motor, especially a main current path, such that the current cannot be conducted in reverse. In this way, the switching relay can release the current path of the starter motor in a defined manner such that pinion bounces are significantly reduced, or even suppressed, in the switch-off process during the demeshing of a starter pinion. During the switch-off process of the starter, a backwards movement of the starter pinion towards the gear rim is avoided after the demeshing.