An endoscope (1) with a shaft (2), a grip (3) connected to the shaft (2) at a proximal end region of the shaft (2), and a viewing region (4) formed in a distal end region of the shaft (2) by optical elements. The shaft (2) has at least one proximity sensor (5), of which the measuring region lies at least outside the viewing region (4), preferably in such a way that the measuring region of the proximity sensor (5) covers at least the distance of the lateral region of the distal end region. The endoscope has an evaluation device (6) which is configured to generate a warning signal when a definable distance threshold value is undershot.