To operate a steplessly adjustable camshaft control device, particularly reliably and safely, an adaptation of the camshaft and the crankshaft is performed so that a phase angle (actual value) of the camshaft to the crankshaft is determined, the phase angle is monitored while operating the internal combustion engine and the camshaft control device is controlled as a function of a variable setpoint value so that the phase angle is equivalent to the setpoint value.