The present invention relates to a vehicle door lock and an associated method for the operation thereof, wherein the vehicle door lock is equipped with a locking mechanism, which essentially consists of a catch and a pawl. The pawl has a contact surface for the catch, which rests on said contact surface when the locking mechanism is closed. According to the invention, a supporting element, which delays the opening of the locking mechanism, is associated with the pawl, so that the catch glides along the contact surface up to a predetermined opening angle until is it is released from the pawl.