A self-propelled agricultural machine comprises a travel drive, a control element (46), able to be moved by the driver, for controlling the speed of travel of the machine, and at least one work-performing unit (2, 3, 5-13, 24, 27, 28) which, while the machine is travelling, can assume an active state and an inactive state as selected by the driver. The machine is set up to decide whether a movement of the control element (36) which is sensed is a regular control movement or an emergency stop movement, and to change the work-performing unit (2, 3, 5-13, 24, 27, 28) to the inactive state if it is decided that the movement sensed is an emergency stop movement.