A gas spring consisting of a gas cylinder (2), a piston rod (3) which is movable in the axial direction in the gas cylinder (2), a guide (4), wherein an axially outwardly open gap (6) exists between the guide (4) and the gas cylinder. A protection (10) is arranged so that it extends radially over the width of the gap (6). The protection (10) is fixed in the guide (4) or in the cylinder wall (5). The protection is configured so that, when an axial force (F) is applied to the protection, a first part of the force (F) is transmitted to the guide (4) and a second part of the force to the cylinder wall (5), and thus the protection (10) relieves the load on the guide (4).