The invention relates to an internal combustion engine (1), comprising at least one combustion chamber (2) and an exhaust gas system (3) arranged on an exhaust gas outlet channel (5), the exhaust gas system having at least one secondary air injection device (4) for injecting secondary air into the exhaust gas system (3) between the combustion chamber (2) and an exhaust emission control system (5) arranged in the exhaust gas system (3), wherein during operation of the internal combustion engine (1), a residual gas content in the combustion chamber (2) can be changed, and a secondary air injection point (4') on the exhaust gas system (3) is arranged so far from the combustion chamber (2) that injected secondary air flows back into the exhaust gas outlet channel (5) due to backflowing exhaust gas in the exhaust gas system (3) but does not flow back into the combustion chamber (2). The embodiment according to the invention makes it possible to comply with SULEV emissions limits even for engines having many combustion chambers and/or exhaust gas turbochargers, for which a SULEV certification previously seemed impossible.