The invention relates to a process for preparing butadiene from n-butenes, comprising the steps of: A) providing an input gas stream a comprising n-butenes; B) feeding the input gas stream a comprising n-butenes and an oxygenous gas into at least one oxidative dehydrogenation zone and oxidatively dehydrogenating n-butenes to butadiene, giving a product gas stream b comprising butadiene, unconverted n-butenes, water vapor, oxygen, low-boiling hydrocarbons and high-boiling secondary components, with or without carbon oxides and with or without inert gases; Ca) cooling the product gas stream b by contacting it with a coolant and condensing at least a portion of the high-boiling secondary components; Cb) compressing the remaining product gas stream b in at least one compression stage, giving at least one aqueous condensate stream c1 and one gas stream c2 comprising butadiene, n-butenes, water vapor, oxygen and low-boiling hydrocarbons, with or without carbon oxides and with or without inert gases; Da) removing uncondensable and low-boiling gas constituents comprising oxygen and low-boiling hydrocarbons, with or without carbon oxides and with or without inert gases, as gas stream d2 from the gas stream c2 by absorbing the C4 hydrocarbons comprising butadiene and n-butenes in an absorbent, giving an absorbent stream laden with C4 hydrocarbons and the gas stream d2, and Db) subsequently desorbing the C4 hydrocarbons from the laden absorbent stream, giving a C4 product gas stream d1, which comprises additionally feeding in a methane-comprising gas stream at at least one point in the process section comprising steps B), Ca), Cb) and Da) in such amounts that the formation of an explosive gas mixture in step Da) is avoided.