A method and a corresponding device for performing a background calibration of a comparator in a circuit having a plurality of stages that are connected in a pipelined fashion to an input signal. A digital value of a residue signal, which is output from a first stage in the plurality of stages to a subsequent stage in the plurality of stages, is calculated. The value of the residue signal is compared to at least one threshold. Based on the comparison, a triggering threshold of a selected comparator in the first stage may be adjusted.