To provide a control method for protecting from overload in a press machine which has good responsiveness and can protect from the overload in a simple constitution.

In this method, reciprocating movement of a slide 4 is driven with a servo-motor 21 through a mechanical power transmission mechanism 3, when the overload of the slide 4 is detected at the pressurizing time, the slide 4 is raised with the above servo-motor 21. Thus, since the slide is raised by a prescribed amount by immediately and reversely driving the servo-motor when the overload not less than the permissible value is applied to the slide, the slide can be protected from the overload. Further, since the servo-motor for controlling the slide motion is used for protecting from the overload, a mechanical element is little and this constitution can be obtained at a low cost.