To control the cut register of a web in a web-fed rotary press and to control the web tension decoupled from the control of the cut register, a specific item of image information or measuring marks of the printed web are registered by at least one sensor and the web tension is registered by at least one further sensor. The deviation of the position of the printed image with respect to its intended position, based on the location and time of the cut, is determined from the item of image information and is therefore available as actual values and supplied to a control device. The cut register error and the web tension can be influenced in a manner decoupled from each other.