In a method for controlling at least one electric heating element of an electrically heated aerosol generating system for heating an aerosol-forming substrate, the electrically heated aerosol generating system includes a sensor for detecting airflow indicative of a user taking a puff having an airflow duration, and the method includes increasing heating power for at least one heating element from zero to power p1 when the sensor detects that the airflow rate has increased to a first threshold, maintaining the heating power at a power p1 for at least some of the airflow duration, and decreasing the heating power for the at least one heating element from power p1 to zero when the sensor detects that the airflow rate has decreased to a second threshold.