Described and shown is a method for operating a flowmeter (1) having a measuring tube (2), wherein the flow (d) of a medium (4) through the measuring tube (2) is measured. A continuous dwell time of the measured flow (d) greater than or equal to a flow threshold (ds) is assigned to a flow interval (ΔtD,1, ΔtD,2) and a flow volume (V1, V2) is determined from the measured flow (d) in the flow interval (ΔtD,1, ΔtD,2). In each case, a continuous dwell time of the measured flow (d) less than the flow threshold (ds) is assigned to a zero flow interval (ΔtN,1). In each case, a deviation volume of the flow volume (V1, V2) in one of the flow intervals (ΔtD,1, ΔtD,2) from a reference flow volume is determined and the deviation volume is compared to a threshold deviation volume. If the deviation volume in one of the flow intervals (ΔtD,1, ΔtD,2) is less than the threshold deviation volume, a zero flow through the measuring tube (2) is determined and compensated using the measured flow (d) in the zero flow interval (ΔtN,1) directly preceding the flow interval (ΔtD,1, ΔtD,2).