A four-stroke internal combustion engine having an engine brake, at least one exhaust valve per cylinder, each valve actuated by a camshaft and at least one first valve lever arrangement, and a device which advances the exhaust control, with the valve lever arrangement having an exhaust lever actuated by an exhaust cam and a brake lever actuated by a brake cam. The brake lever has a first brake lever part on the side of the camshaft and a second brake lever part on the side of the exhaust valve, with the two brake lever parts being rotatably mounted independent of each other about a lever axis and being rotationally connectable with each other in engine braking operation by a locking element which is adjustable between two positions.