A method for controlling a wind power installation is provided. The method includes operating the installation at a normal operating point at which the installation is not operated in a throttled fashion if there is no request for throttling, and operating the installation at a throttled operating point, in response to a throttle request, with output power which is throttled in comparison with the normal operating point. The method includes changing the operation from the throttled operating point to a reserve operating point at which the installation is operated with higher output power in response to a power increase request. The throttled operating point has a higher tip speed ratio than that of the reserve operating point and is positioned on an associated iso-characteristic curve in the λθ diagram having, at the throttled operating point, a negative characteristic curve gradient.