The invention relates to a piezoelectric actuator, especially for actuating control valves or injection valves in motor vehicles, having an actuator body (1) in the form of a multilayer laminate of layered plies of piezoelectric material and intervening metal or electrically conductive layers (2a, 2b), acting as electrodes, which are contacted in alternation by metal outer electrodes (3, 5), facing one another on the jacket side in the longitudinal direction of the actuator body (1), that are at least in the form of laminar electrode strips (3), and the outer electrodes (3, 5) are in contact with electric terminal leads (7) for connecting the piezoelectric actuator to an electrical voltage. The piezoelectric actuator is characterized in that the outer electrodes (3, 5) also have additional electrodes (5) that are in contact at a plurality of points, via narrow elastic feet (6), with the laminar electrode strips (3).