A method of controlling combustion in an internal combustion engine with exhaust after treatment device is proposed, wherein upon detection of a request for a regeneration event of the exhaust after treatment device, a regeneration combustion mode comprising a pilot injection and a retarded main injection is operated. During the regeneration combustion mode the injection timing of the main injection is controlled so that its retard is not later than a retard threshold that is determined as the maximum timing retard to provide the desired torque, but with an injected fuel quantity not exceeding a maximum fuel quantity given by a stored smoke-limit map.