A gathering and wire-stitching machine for printed sheets has a gathering section and includes at least one run of an endlessly circulating pulling apparatus and supporting elements fastened to the pulling apparatus and forming at least a part of a saddle-shaped support for the printed sheets which are successively deposited thereon in a straddled position. The gathering section leads into an adjoining downstream stitching section for stitching the printed sheets which are deposited one on top of the other. The saddle-shaped support extends over the gathering section as well as the stitching section and includes, at least in a partial section, supporting elements arranged side by side above the pulling apparatus, with each supporting element having one side with a sloping support surface.