An overvoltage protection element and a method for producing an overvoltage protection element is disclosed. In an embodiment, the overvoltage protection element includes a first electrode, a second electrode and a discharge region arranged between the first electrode and the second electrode, wherein a porous discharge dielectric is arranged in the discharge region, and wherein the overvoltage protection element is configured to discharge a gas in pores of the discharge dielectric and produce an electrically conductive connection between the first electrode and the second electrode.