A motor vehicle lock has a pawl and a catch that may be moved into an open position, a preliminary latching position and a main latching position. In one of the latching positions, the catch is or may be brought into holding engagement with a lock striker. In the installed state, during a cinching routine, the catch is moved into its main latching position by a cinching drive. A spring biased freewheel mechanism, which is limited to a freewheel distance, is provided between the cinching drive and the catch. With the reaction force of the catch exceeding a predefined level, the cinching drive freewheels with respect to the catch against the spring bias of the freewheel mechanism, until the freewheel distance is reached and the freewheel mechanism is interlocked for force transmission.