The invention relates to an operating device for lighting means and to a corresponding method. The operating device (6) has a first input connection L and a second input connection N, by means of which the operating device (6) can be connected to a supply voltage source. In addition, it has detection means (13) for the separate detection of a first voltage which corresponds to a positive voltage component of the "mains" supply voltage, and a second voltage which corresponds to a negative voltage component of the "mains" supply voltage, as well as an evaluation unit (14) for evaluating the detected voltages. A first voltage divider (22) for generating a first measurement signal mains1 is arranged between the first input connection L and an earth potential of the operating device (6), and a second voltage divider (23) for generating a second measurement signal mains2 is arranged between the second input connection N and the earth potential, as detection means (13). The detection means (13) for feeding the two measurement signals mains1, mains2 are connected to the evaluation unit (14)