The present invention relates to a capacitive MEMS sensor device for sensing a mechanical quantity. To provide such a capacitive MEMS sensor device which enables fast recovery from (near) sticking after a mechanical overload situation it is proposed that the sensor device comprises: —a first bias voltage unit (V1) for supplying a first bias voltage (Vbias 1) to a first plate of said MEMS sensing element, —a second bias voltage unit (V2) for supplying a second bias voltage (Vbias2) to the second plate of said MEMS sensing element, —a signal processing (20) unit for processing said electrical quantity into an output signal (VOUT), —a comparator unit (21) for comparing said output (VOUT) signal to a reference signal (Vref) for detection of an overload condition of said MEMS sensing element (10) and for outputting a comparator signal, —a control unit (22) for controlling the discharge of said MEMS sensing element (10) in case of an overload condition signalled by said comparator signal by connecting, in case of an overload condition, said first plate to a first discharge terminal (D) during a first time interval (T1) and said second plate to a second discharge terminal (D) during a second time interval (T2).