The invention relates to a device for increasing the service life of a high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. The device comprises an HT-PEM fuel cell with at least one cell. The cell is constructed in the following sequence: a feeding plate with an anode channel structure, an anode gas diffusion electrode, an electrolyte-containing polymer membrane, a cathode gas diffusion electrode, and a feeding plate with a cathode channel structure. Additionally, at least one acid reservoir is provided which is filled with acid, said acid reservoir being connected to a distributor channel which extends in the feeding plates approximately perpendicularly to the channel structures. The distributor channel is connected to at least one of the gas diffusion electrodes and/or the polymer membrane of at least one of the cells of the fuel cell stack such that at least one of the gas diffusion electrodes and/or the polymer membrane of at least one of the cells of the fuel cell stack can be supplied with acid.