A method for operating an electrical circuit is described. The electrical circuit is equipped with a power converter (10) that has at least one series connection (11, 12, 13) consisting of at least four power semiconductor elements. The electrical circuit is equipped with at least one capacitor (Cd1, Cd2) connected in parallel to the series connection (11, 12, 13). In the power converter (10), at least one resistor has been connected in parallel to the middle two power semiconductor elements. In the method, at least one of the power semiconductor elements is conductively connected and in this way a discharging current is generated from the capacitor (Cd1, Cd2) through the conductively connected power semiconductor element and the resistor.