Device for temporarily stopping the operation of spinning stations of a spinning machine equipped with means for automatic inspection and/or cleaning of the machine after an interruption in the spinning operation at a spinning station and for thereafter restarting the operation of the respective spinning station includes a monitoring device associated with each spinning station having means for producing an intentional interruption of the spinning operation at the respective spinning station when a given value of a characteristic of the uninterrupted spinning process is reached or exceeded and only when no other spinning station serviced by the means for automatic inspection and/or cleaning of the machine is out of operation due to an interruption of the spinning operation performed thereat that requires correction.