A weighing scale, e.g. a top-pan scale, having a scale pan (01, 02) supported on a force transducer, and a corner load sensor (03, 04, 06, 08, 09) measuring the tilting of the scale pan (01, 02) relative to the force transducer. The corner load sensor includes a light beam source (03, 04, 06) emitting a first light beam and a second light beam. The first light beam and the second light beam are directed toward a reflecting surface on an underside of an arrangement that includes the scale pan (01, 02). The first light beam and the second light beam are respectively inclined relative to the reflecting surface of the untilted scale pan (01). The corner load sensor (03, 04, 06, 08, 09) of the scale also includes a first optical sensor (08) measuring the first light beam reflected by the reflecting surface. If no corner load exists, a predetermined proportion (12) of the reflected first light beam is directed to the first optical sensor (08). If the scale pan (02) is tilted, the proportions of the reflected light beams which fall on the two optical sensors (08, 09) change. The corner load sensor (03, 04, 06, 08, 09) has an evaluating unit determining the tilt of the scale pan (01, 02) dependent on the light quantities measured with the two optical sensors (08, 09).