A hydraulic control device according to the invention is of load-sensing design and serves to actuate a first hydraulic load and a second hydraulic load. Also provided are a first control valve for actuating the first hydraulic load and a second control valve for actuating the second hydraulic load. A first load signal can be measured on the basis of a load pressure with which the first hydraulic load is acted on, and a second load signal can be measured on the basis of a load pressure with which the second hydraulic load is acted on. Pressure medium from a pressure medium source can be supplied in parallel to the first control valve and to the second control valve. A load signal path can, in order to actuate an adjusting element which is assigned to the pressure medium source, be acted on with a highest presently measured load signal. A limiting device allows the second load signal to be limited to a predefined signal limit value. A switching means can be actuated by means of the second load signal such that, at the latest when the second load signal reaches the signal limit value, the signal conveyed on the load signal path is limited by the limiting device.