Process for preparing a polyolefin polymer comprising the steps of a) forming a particulate polyolefin polymer by polymerizing one or more olefins in the presence of a polymerization catalyst system in a polymerization reactor; b) discharging the formed polyolefin particles from the polymerization reactor; c) degassing the polyolefin particles by a process comprising at least a final step of contacting the polyolefin particles with a nitrogen stream in a degassing vessel; and d) transferring the polyolefin particles from the vessel, in which the contacting of the polyolefin particles with the nitrogen stream is carried out, to a melt mixing device, in which the polyolefin particles are melted, mixed and thereafter pelletized, without passing the particles through a buffering device, wherein the degassing vessel is only partly filled with polyolefin particles and the empty volume within the degassing vessel is sufficient to take up additional polyolefin particles for at least 3 hours if the transfer of polyolefin particles of step d) from the degassing vessel to the melt mixing device is discontinued and the discharge of polyolefin particles from the polymerization reactor according to step b) is continued with unchanged rate.