A portable work apparatus, especially a motor-driven chain saw (1), has a drive unit which is provided with a handle housing (3). The handle housing (3) includes an extension (9) which extends in the longitudinal direction of the work apparatus from a rearward handle (8) on the side facing away in the longitudinal direction from a guide bar (6) forward to the side facing toward the guide bar (6). The handle housing (3) is connected via antivibration elements to the drive unit. The work apparatus has a forward handle tube (4), which extends over the work apparatus transversely to the longitudinal direction and is attached with an end (10) to the free end of the extension (9) and with the other end (27) in the area of the rearward handle (8). At least one of the ends (10, 27) of the handle tube (4) is fixed via an antivibration element (11, 25, 26, 28, 34).