A drive system (1) for a harvesting machine has a drive train (4) connected by a coupling device (5) with a drive motor (6). The drive train (4) has a hydrostatic transmission (10) with a variable displacement pump (11) and a hydraulic motor (12) connected in a closed circuit to the pump (11). The hydraulic motor (12) is connected to a feeder device (2). For quickly stopping the feeder device (2), the pump (11) is set to a displacement of zero by an electronic control system (15) and the feeder device (2) is braked by a pressure protection device (40). For a chopper device (3), the hydraulic motor (12) is cut off by the electronic control system (15). The drive train (4) is isolated from the drive motor (6) by uncoupling the coupling device (5) and the pump (11) is set to the maximum displacement volume.