Abstract: Sleeve for pre-assembly of a flat gasket on a sealing surface of a machine component having a hole for insertion of the sleeve therein, the flat gasket having a hole for passage of the sleeve therethrough, and the one, first end area of the sleeve being elastically compressible in order to reduce its outer diameter; in order to make pre-assembly of a flat gasket on a machine component as simple as possible, the sleeve has stops on the outer circumference of its first end area, which act in both directions of the sleeve axis to hold the sleeve on the gasket plate in an axial position predetermined by the stops, and the sleeve is also of such configuration at its outer circumference that insertion of the sleeve in the hole of the machine component results in a frictionally engaged and/or positively locked connection between the machine component and the sleeve.