The invention provides a metal halide lamp 1 with a ceramic discharge vessel 3 and two electrodes 4,5. The discharge vessel 3 encloses a discharge volume 11 containing an ionizable gas filling comprising at least a metal halide, two current lead-through conductors 20,21 connected to the respective electrodes 4,5, and a seal 10 by means of a sealing material through which at least one of the respective current lead-through conductors 20,21 issues to the exterior of the discharge vessel 3. The sealing material of the seal 10 comprises a ceramic sealing material comprising cerium oxide, aluminumoxide and silicon dioxide as a mixture of oxides and/or one or more mixed oxides. A good melting behavior of the sealing material was observed and lamps 1 with stable seals 10 and good light-technical properties were obtained.