A method for determining a reference current value for actuating a fuel injector, comprising a solenoid drive, for an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle is described. The method comprises the following: (a) acquiring a multiplicity of current profiles with repeated actuation of the fuel injector, wherein each current profile has a temporal progression of the current strength of a current flowing through the solenoid drive, and wherein each actuation of the fuel injector comprises the following steps: (aa) applying a boost voltage to the solenoid drive of the fuel injector until the current strength of the current flowing through the solenoid drive reaches a first predetermined value, (ab) waiting for the current strength to reach a second predetermined value during a first free-wheeling phase, (ac) applying the boost voltage to the solenoid drive again until the current strength reaches the first predetermined value, and (ad) waiting for the current strength to reach the second predetermined value during a second free-wheeling phase, wherein the first predetermined value is varied for each actuation, the method also comprising (b) determining a multiplicity of magnetic flux profiles, wherein each magnetic flux profile corresponds to one of the multiplicity of acquired current profiles, and (c) selecting the reference current value on the basis of an analysis of the associated current profiles and magnetic flux profiles.