A method and an apparatus for detecting and correcting a spatial position of a workpiece held in a positioning device, wherein a machining head having at least one sensor and position sensor is fed into at least one measuring position. Contactless sensing of an actual position of a measuring point of the workpiece is carried out at the measuring position using the machining head and the sensed actual position is compared with an expected nominal position and deviation values between the actual position and the nominal position are ascertained. The ascertained deviation values are compared with an admissible tolerance value and the machining head is fed to a contour when the ascertained deviation is within the admissible tolerance value, or the machining head and the workpiece are oriented with respect to one another and to the contour such that a deviation of the actual position is within the admissible tolerance values following orientation.