There is provided an engine control device which can accurately calculate a compensation coefficient used for transient compensation of an ignition timing without involving a complicated and large-scale calculation model in order to prevent a combustion deterioration and the like caused by a mechanical response delay and the like of the variable valve timing mechanism at a transition time such as an acceleration/deceleration time. The angular difference between each current real phase of the intake/exhaust valves 21 and 22 and a target phase set based on an engine load equivalent amount such as an intake air amount is obtained; the shift amount or its correlation value between a current real intake air amount and a theoretical intake air amount value calculated using a pressure inside an intake manifold when each phase of the intake/exhaust valves has reached the target phase is obtained; further a compensation coefficient for matching the shift amount or its correlation value with the angular difference is obtained; and the compensation coefficient is used to perform transient compensation of an ignition timing.
