An internal combustion engine equipped with at least one exhaust gas turbocharger whose compressor is connected by way of a charging pressure line to a suction manifold of the engine and whose turbine is inserted into an exhaust gas line coming from an exhaust gas manifold. A controllable blow-off valve (waste gate) is installed into a by-pass line coming from the exhaust gas line and by-passing the turbine while the compressor is adapted to be short-circuited by way of a vent valve. During the transition of the internal combustion engine into the coasting operation, the blow-off valve is activated into the closed condition for at least a limited time span. A loss of exhaust gas energy during a shifting operation is avoided thereby so that the internal combustion engine accelerates more rapidly after termination of the shifting operation.