A method for operating an internal combustion engine, in particular a gas engine having at least three cylinders, includes acquiring a cylinder-specific signal (pmax, E) from each cylinder. A reference value (pmedian, Emedian) is generated from the signals (pmax, E) from the cylinders, and at least one combustion parameter (Q, Z) of the corresponding cylinder is controlled as a function of the deviation of a signal (pmax, E) from the reference value (pmedian, Emedian). The signal (pmax, E) tracks the reference value (pmedian, Emedian), and the median of the signals (pmax, E) is generated as the reference value (pmedian, Emedian).