The invention relates to a method for operating an axial piston machine of a swash plate design, wherein the swash plate can be adjusted by means of an adjustment device, wherein the adjustment variable (alpha, nt) of the axial piston machine is given in advance for adjustment through a control variable (um); in the use of a model of the axial piston machine - the corresponding current value of atleast one operating variable (alpha, nt, sv, im and pv) of the axial piston machine and the current value of the control variable (um) are taken into account in the model; in the case where the operation variable includes the adjustment amount (alpha, nt), assuming the adjustment variable (alpha, nt) is at a constant rated value (yr), a future change process of the adjustment variable (alpha, nt)is obtained; wherein, taking into account the future change process of the adjustment variable (alpha, nt), the acquisition and adjustment of the to-be-adjusted control variable (um) are performed.