A construction machine is provided with a control device having an operating panel with operating elements, which can assume numerous switching states/positions, a control and monitoring unit for controlling machine components via control signals signalling the switching state/position of associated operating elements, and a display/signal unit interacting with the control and monitoring unit. The control device provides first and second signal transmission paths for transmitting a first control signal signalling the switching state/position of a first operating element and a second control signal signalling the switching state/position of a second operating element, respectively. The control signals are checked for the existence of a plausibility criterion. If the plausibility criterion is not met, signal transmission over one or the other signal transmission path is deactivated, wherein the functionality of the relevant component is checked. Switching to emergency operation is only possible after confirmation of the functionality of the relevant component.