An active converter connected to an electric machine, including arresting circuits to activate a voltage arresting function from a first point-in-time, and which is configured to only activate a load dump reaction upon activation conditions from a second point-in-time, the activation conditions include that it is determined that at the second point-in-time, a supply-side voltage potential applied to an exciter winding of the electric machine is between the voltage potential applied at the first DC voltage terminal and a ground potential, if the exciter winding is disconnected from the voltage potential of the vehicle electrical system voltage and/or a current flowing through the exciter winding is below a current threshold value and/or after an initial activation of a load dump reaction, after which further load dump reactions were activated, more than a predefined period of time has elapsed and/or more than a predefined number of load dump reactions were activated.