In a sliding vane pump comprising a rotor supported in a housing and having vanes supported radially movably in radially extending slots of the rotor so as to be in contact with the inner surface of a contour ring which is rotatably supported in the housing and forms with the vanes suction pumping and pressure chambers for pumping and pressurizing a fluid, a pressure control arrangement is provided for limiting the pressure in the pumping chamber to the pressure present in the pressure chamber thereby to prevent the generation of noise upon coupling of the pumping chamber with the pressure chamber.