A control device for controlling an operation of an internal combustion engine and of an electric machine in a hybrid drive arrangement of a vehicle, wherein the hybrid drive arrangement provides or permits a mechanical coupling of the engine and the electric machine in a drivetrain, the control device comprising:
- an engine control part for controlling the internal combustion engine, the engine control part being configured to control a fuel feed enablement and, optionally, an ignition enablement of the internal combustion engine;
- an electric machine control part for controlling the electric machine, the electric machine control part being configured to control an energization of the electric machine;
- a monitoring part configured to monitor a proper operation of said engine control part and of said electric machine control part and, when a malfunction is detected, to take over at least one control function of said engine control part and/or of said electric machine control part within a given reaction period;
- an engine false start prevention part configured to identify a transition from a stationary state to a running state of the internal combustion engine and, upon a transition being identified, to check whether a proper start of the internal combustion engine has been demanded within a predetermined period in the past in order, if the proper start has not been demanded, to prevent the fuel feed enablement and/or the ignition enablement for a predetermined engine interruption duration, wherein the engine interruption duration is at least as long as the given reaction period and lies in a range from 1.2 times to 20 times the given reaction period.