A control device of a vehicle drive device includes a direct injection engine, an electric motor, and a clutch selectively coupling the direct injection engine to a power transmission path from the electric motor to drive wheels, the control device slips the clutch and starts the direct injection engine by an ignition start with fuel injected into a cylinder of the direct injection engine and ignited from a start of rotation of the direct injection engine if the direct injection engine is started during a running mode using only the electric motor as a drive source, the control device weakens an engagement force of the clutch if a shaft torque of the direct injection engine goes through a first negative torque extreme value after initiation of a start of the direct injection engine and becomes zero from a negative torque as compared to before becoming the zero.