A high pressure fuel pump includes (i) a pump housing, (ii) a pump piston, (iii) a high pressure seal which is disposed between the pump piston and the pump housing and seals the pump piston with respect to a high pressure region, and (iv) an annular guide element which guides the pump piston in a sliding fit and which is disposed towards the high pressure region when seen from the high pressure seal. The annular guide element has at least one fluid connection which fluidically connects a first region to a second region. The first region is adjacent to a first end face of the guide element. And the second region is adjacent to a second end face of the guide element.