The hydrogenation of CO 2 was studied on supported noble metal catalysts in the presence of H 2 S. In the reaction gas mixture containing 22 ppm H 2 S the reaction rate increased on TiO 2 and on CeO 2 supported metals (Ru, Rh, Pd), but on all other supported catalysts or when the H 2 S content was higher (116 ppm) the reaction was poisoned. FTIR measurements revealed that in the surface interaction of H 2 + CO 2 on Rh/TiO 2 Rh carbonyl hydride, surface formate, carbonates and surface formyl were formed. On the H 2 S pretreated catalyst surface formyl species were missing. TPD measurements showed that adsorbed H 2 S desorbed as SO 2 , both from TiO 2 -supported metals and from the support. IR, XP spectroscopy and TPD measurements demonstrated that the metal became apparently more positive when the catalysts were treated with H 2 S and when the sulfur was built into the support. The promotion effect of H 2 S was explained by the formation of new centers at the metal/support interface.