The invention relates to a method for controlling a hydrostatic drive having at least one first hydraulic consumer and one second hydraulic consumer. The two hydraulic consumers are driven by a common drive machine. First of all, a first power requirement of the first hydraulic consumer is determined (20). Proceeding from the determined first power requirement, the free power which is available as a result of the common drive machine is determined (21). This available free power of the common drive machine is scaled onto a possible actuating path of a control transmitter for the working hydraulics (22). A position of the control transmitter for actuating the second hydraulic consumer is determined (23) and a power requirement is assigned on the basis of the scaled available free power. An operating point of the common drive machine is fixed from the first power requirement and the second power requirement (24).