Method of operating a hearing device to provide for relieving tinnitus

A method of operating a hearing device to provide for relieving tinnitus, the hearing device configured to be worn at an ear of a user, the method comprising:

• receiving an audio stream from an audio input unit included in the hearing device;
• processing the audio stream in a first audio signal path into a processed audio stream;
• and
• providing an output stream based on the processed audio stream for an audio output unit included in the hearing device, the audio output unit configured to output the output stream so as to stimulate the user's hearing;
• characterized by
• processing the audio stream in a second audio signal path, which outputs a tinnitus masking stream for relieving tinnitus into the first audio signal path, wherein the second audio signal path is associated with
• evaluating the audio stream with regard to a presence of one or more preservable characteristics suitable to be preserved in the tinnitus masking stream;
• and
• providing the tinnitus masking stream based on the preservable characteristics such that one or more of the preservable characteristics of the audio stream are preserved in the tinnitus masking stream.