A method of operating an internal combustion engine with direct gasoline injection and controlled self-ignition, wherein the internal combustion engine includes a combustion chamber, at least one intake valve and at least one exhaust valve each having an adjustable opening time. The method includes compressing an ignitable gas mixture that contains residual gas in the combustion chamber during a compression stroke, where the gas mixture self ignites, and altering step-wise over multiple combustion cycles at least one of a residual gas volume and a point of injection time to an interim value other than a value assigned to a target load during a load transfer from an initial load to the target load.