A controller for a switching mode power supply includes two semiconductor chips. The first semiconductor chip has a high-voltage startup transistor coupled to a high voltage supply input terminal and configured to provide a charging current in a startup phase or protection mode of a switching mode power supply (SMPS) and to provide substantially no current in a normal operation phase of the SMPS. The second semiconductor chip has a control circuit for controlling the switching mode power supply. The second semiconductor chip also has first and second on-chip high-voltage resistors coupled to the high-voltage supply input terminal and the high-voltage startup transistor in the first semiconductor chip. The first and the second on-chip high-voltage resistors are configured to provide a voltage and a current related to a voltage at the high-voltage supply input terminal.