A process for the production of a CED (cathodic electrodeposition) coating with improved adhesion towards subsequent layers by cathodic electrodeposition of a coating layer of a CED coating composition onto an electrically conductive substrate and thermal curing by baking in an indirectly heated circulating air oven operated with a proportion of fresh air in the circulating air of the oven of 0 to 20 vol. %, wherein the CED coating composition used contains at least one water-soluble metal nitrate corresponding to a quantity of 1 to 10 mmol of nitrate per 100 g of resin solids content, wherein the metal is selected from the group consisting of metals of atomic numbers 20 to 83, with the exception of chromium, arsenic, rubidium, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, cadmium, antimony, caesium, osmium, iridium, platinum, mercury, thallium and lead, and wherein at most 50 area-% of the CED-coated substrate surface are rinsed with water prior to thermal curing.