A pressure-medium actuated swivel motor includes a cylinder with closed ends and an inside surface with a pair of diametrically opposed axially extending ribs, and a motor shaft with a pair of diametrically opposed axially extending vanes, wherein the vanes and the ribs bound first and second pairs of diametrically opposed working chambers between the motor shaft and the cylinder. First and second pressure medium ports are connected to respective first and second pairs of working chambers, each pair being connected by an interconnection channel through the shaft. A movable separating element which divides a compensating space in the piston into a first and second compensating subspaces, wherein the first compensating subspace is connected to the first pair of working chambers, and the second compensating subspace is connected to the second pair of working chambers.