A monitoring device for an ignition circuit for a personal protection device for a vehicle. The ignition circuit activates the personal protection device when an ignition voltage is present that exceeds a voltage threshold value and/or an ignition current is present that exceeds a current threshold value. The monitoring device has a control device and a voltage source connected via a voltage source terminal of the control device. The control device is connected via a high-side ignition circuit terminal to a first supply terminal of the ignition circuit and via a low-side ignition circuit terminal to a second supply terminal of the ignition circuit. The monitoring device is fashioned such that a no-load voltage of a high-side current source of the control device situated between the voltage source terminal and the high-side ignition circuit terminal corresponds at least to the voltage threshold value.