This invention provides a method for monitoring the function and/or regeneration of a gas probe. The invention includes a measurement of first and second pump currents of the gas probe and a determination of a difference between the first and second pump currents (&Dgr;I). If &Dgr;I exceeds a pregiven value, then a saturation pump voltage is applied and the difference between a resulting pump current and a previously stored minimum pump current (&Dgr;I plus) is determined. If &Dgr;I plus exceeds a pregiven value, then a regeneration voltage is applied.