This invention relates to a method for developing an exposed silver halide color photosensitive material which comprises conducting the development in the presence of the following compound: ##STR1## wherein Cp is a cyan coupler residue having been removed one hydrogen atom from active methylene of the coupler; R.sub.1 and R2 are individually hydrogen, helogen, a substituted or unsubstituted group selected from an aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, an aromatic hydrocarbon residue, acyl, carbamoyl, cyans and formyl; X is a substituted or unsubstituted group selected from an aliphatic hydrocarbon residue, an aromatic hydrocarbon residue, a heterocyclic ring residue, and a carbonyl group; and n is 0 or 1 provided that, when n is 1, X is the carbonyl group.