In a method for identifying a defective control device in an internal combustion engine, especially a control element of an intake manifold with a variable length, a swirl flap, or a tumble flap, or generally a control element in the air path of the internal combustion engine, instead of using a return message acknowledging the position of the control device, a regulating signal is detected following the successful switching of the control device, in order to use any deviations of said regulating signal above a defined threshold value to identify a defective control device.