The invention concerns a pressure limiting valve (1) for fuel injection devices, in particular for fuel injection devices produced in the form of supply manifold systems. The inventive pressure limiting valve comprises a housing (2) including a high pressure connection (5) on the intake side, a backflow connection (9), as well as a flow connection located between said two connections and controlled by a valve element (7) which is guided mobile in the housing (2) and which is sealingly spring-biased towards a valve seat (6) on the intake side in the direction of its locking position. Said valve element opens, while being limited by a stop, via a high pressure applied on the intake side and its surfaces pressurized to counter the spring force are larger in the opening position releasing the flow connection than in the locking position. Since the valve element (7) is coupled, in terms of displacement, to a surface (17) of a piston (12) mobile in the housing (2), said surface being capable of being pressurized to move the valve element (7) in the opening position, it is possible in certain operating conditions, in particular when the engine is stopped for maintenance, to open the valve regardless of the dimensioning of the pressure limiting valve so as to reduce to a selectable predefined level the pressure in the connected fuel device.