To provide a control device for an internal combustion engine, capable of setting controlled variables for the engine to be more adequate values, right after the deterioration of an exhaust circulating mechanism has been discriminated, followed by opening an exhaust circulation valve.

The malfunction of the exhaust circulation mechanism is discriminated in accordance with a change in pressure in an inlet passage when the exhaust circulation valve 22 is opened/closed at stopping the supply of a fuel to the internal combustion engine. When the exhaust circulation valve 22 is first opened after the malfunction has been discriminated (FEGR=1 and FDIAG =1), an integrated value ΣLACT for an actual valve opening LACT of the exhaust circulation valve 22 is calculated. Before the integrated value ΣLACT reaches a preset value ILACT0, an engine control plug FWTEGR is set at zero (S136, S137, S138), and when it exceeds the preset ILACT0, the plug FWTEGR is set at '1' (S140). When FWTEGR=0, the engine is controlled by using the controlled variables with the exhaust circulation valve being closed.