1. A method for performing a knock control of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine including 2n cylinders, a cylinder counter, at least one knock sensor, and an evaluation unit for evaluating a knock-sensor signal with the aid of an individual knock-recognition characteristic for each cylinder, the method comprising the steps of: if a phase recognition malfunction occurs, forming a cylinder pair from those of the 2n cylinders operating offset by in each case 360°; and if the phase recognition malfunction occurs, assuming a minimal value of two knock-recognition characteristics of the cylinder pair as a knock-recognition threshold for the cylinders of the cylinder pair affected by the phase recognition malfunction, wherein: the phase recognition malfunction occurs if the evaluation unit cannot detect whether the knock-sensor signal is to be allocated to the cylinder corresponding to the cylinder counter reading or to the cylinder operating offset by 360°.