The object of this invention is to provide a method of maintaining a multi-tubular reactor which can ensure the uniformity of states of reaction in the reaction tubes in the multi-tubular reactor.This invention is a method of maintaining a multi-tubular reactor in good condition by selecting a part of reaction tubes in a multi-tubular reactor at random, measuring a differential pressure occurring in each reaction tube when passing gas therethrough, separating any reaction tube showing an abnormal differential pressure as compared with the average of differential pressures in reaction tubes packed with an fresh catalyst of the same kind, giving adequate treatment to the separated reaction tube and returning it into the reactor with any other selected reaction tube falling within a normal range.