A device for testing material properties with regard to combined tensile and shear loads, in particular for testing adhesives, includes a device for applying the force, a measuring device, a test piece receptacle, and a test piece having a bonding surface. The test piece is dimensionally stable within the intended limits of the force to be applied. This measure ensures that the shear forces acting on the joint act approximately at a right angle to the bonding surface over the entire test period, so that realistic conclusions may be drawn with regard to the material properties of the tested adhesive.