A lighting assembly, a driver circuit, and a method of operating a discharge lamp are described. A discharge lamp (10) comprises a discharge vessel (14) with at least two electrodes (16) arranged at a distance d for generating an arc between the electrode (16). Driver electronics (32) operate the lamp (10) with electrical power. In order to reduce electrode burn-back, the driver electronics operate the lamp according to a switch-off sequence, which includes a power ramp interval (24) where the lamp (10) is operated with increasing electrical power over time, and subsequently the lamp (10) is switched-off. Also, the driver electronics (32) operate the lamp according to a turn-on sequence upon turning on the lamp (10) with a first turn-on interval (20), where the lamp is operated with electrical power increasing up to an initial maximum power value, and a power ramp interval (22) during which the lamp is operated with electrical power increasing over time from the initial maximum power value to nominal power PN. The initial maximum power value is less than the nominal power value of the lamp.