The invention relates to a covering comprising mechanically interconnectable panels having the following characteristics: —adjacent first and second panels (1, 2) each have a groove (12, 17) on their mutually complementary sides, —in one of the grooves (12) a tongue (16) is arranged which is displaceable relative to the panel (1) and which is configured to engage in the groove (17) of the adjacent panel (2) when connecting the adjacent panels (1, 2), —the panel (1) which holds the tongue (16) has a lower locking rail (3) which engages the adjacent panel (2) underneath which is configured to secure adjacent panels (1, 2) against tensile loading in the plane of installation, —the panel (2) engaged underneath by the locking rail (3) is supported on the locking rail (3) as well as on the support rail (11) which is arranged at a greater distance to the locking rail (3) than the groove (12), —the support rail (11) engages in the same groove (17) into which the tongue (16) is displaceable.