In a method of operating an internal combustion engine in which exhaust gas is retained in the combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine and compressed during a charge change together with fresh combustion air, a first fuel quantity is injected into the retained exhaust gas by means of direct fuel injection, a second fuel quantity is subsequently supplied to the combustion chamber together with the fresh combustion air so that a homogeneous fuel/gas/air mixture is formed in the combustion chamber, and an auto-ignition time of the fuel/gas/air mixture is established as a function of a quantity ratio of the first fuel quantity and the second fuel quantity.