A system and method are provided for controlling a soft-switched modified buck regulator circuit. A voltage (Vx) across or a current through a pull-down switching mechanism within the modified buck regulator circuit is sensed when the pull-down switching mechanism is enabled, where the pull-down switching mechanism is coupled to an upstream end of an inductor and is coupled in parallel with a capacitor. A target time when the pull-down switching mechanism will be disabled (tlf) is computed and the pull-down transistor is disabled at the computed target time.