A method of controlling the tension of a strip carried by a multitude of rollers disposed in four section of a furnace and driven by electric sources, one source for each section through respectives electric motors. The actual difference in tension of the strip between the inlet and outlet of each section is compared with a corresponding reference difference tension stored in a tension profile control circuit to form a tension deviation. An allotment-of-tension scheduling circuit successively receives all of actual tensions and sets a tension to each section and a correction factor. After having been amplified by the correction factor in one multiplier for each section, the tension deviation is applied to a speed regulator to control its associated allotted of tension and a tension profile within the furnace. The tension profile is changed by first applying the correction factor to the multiplier coupled to that section essentially affecting the strip and then successively sequentially applying the correction factor to the remaining multipliers.