Method and arrangement for operating an internal combustion engine (10) which is operable in several operating modes, especially an internal combustion engine (10) having direct injection or intake manifold injection and having a control apparatus (11). The control apparatus (11), that is, its software has a plurality of functions (12) and a scheduler (13) for activating the functions (12). The executability of the functions (12) is determined in dependence upon the operating-mode dependent and operating-mode independent conditions and, with the aid of a bridging signal, the determination of the operating-mode dependent conditions can be disabled.