Abstract: A pressure compensation device for compensating an internal pressure in a housing of an electrochemical device is provided, including at least one gas through-opening and at least one membrane element with a gas-permeable membrane, which is deformable depending on a change in the internal pressure and by which the gas through-opening is blocked, and a protective degassing element, which is configured and arranged in such a way that when a critical deformation of the membrane is reached, it damages the membrane in such a way that the membrane at least partially opens the gas through-opening for protective degassing of the housing. The pressure compensation device allows both reliable pressure compensation between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the housing of an electrochemical device during normal operation of the electrochemical device and also ensures reliable bursting protection in the event of excess internal pressure in the housing.