A hydraulic drive control device which is capable of translating the effect of oil pressure loss reduction into the effect of fuel consumption reduction that is very real to the user. The hydraulic drive control device has (i) a driving hydraulic circuit for driving a hydraulic actuator by supplying pressure oil to or draining it from the hydraulic actuator through control valves, the pressure oil being discharged from a hydraulic pump driven by an engine and (ii) a quick return circuit for directly flowing part of hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic actuator back to a tank, while the hydraulic actuator being driven. The hydraulic drive control device also includes an engine controller for controlling the output of the engine such that the output of the engine is restricted when the quick return circuit is opened.