A protective circuit for an inverter is disclosed, the protective circuit comprising a safety element, a switching arrangement, and a control circuit, with the safety element being arranged in a feed line to the power element, and the switching device being switched to the safety element such that the switching arrangement bridges the safety element when the switching arrangement is in a conducting state. The control circuit is embodied such that it, upon receipt of one control pulse or several successive control pulses, emits a switching signal to a switching arrangement for a predetermined period of time, with the switching arrangement being switched through in case of periodic receipt of the control pulses and with the absence of the control pulse opening the switching arrangement after a predetermined period of time, and triggering a protection of the inverter by the safety element.