Branching element for use in a pipeline having a main line which has a wall, wherein the wall essentially surrounds a through-flow opening for channelling a medium, and wherein the wall has at least one branching opening, which extends at least essentially perpendicularly in relation to the through-flow opening, wherein the branching element has a branching-element body, which is designed to be arranged essentially vertically on the wall of the main line, wherein the branching-element body has at least one opening, which is designed so as to at least partially coincide with the through-flow opening of the main line, and wherein the branching-element body has at least one collar, which is designed so as to at least partially enclose the wall of the main line and to be integrally connected to the wall of the main line by heating, wherein an inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element is designed so as to at least impede, preferably prevent, an ingress of a melt of the heated material of the branching-element body into the branching opening of the wall of the main line, and wherein at least part of the inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element, preferably the entire inner edge, has at least one engagement element, which can extend at least partially into the branching opening of the wall of the main line, characterized in that at least part of the inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element, preferably the entire inner edge, has at least one aperture, which is designed so as to at least partially accommodate the melt. wherein the wall essentially surrounds a through-flow opening for channelling a medium, and wherein the wall has at least one branching opening, which extends at least essentially perpendicularly in relation to the through-flow opening, wherein the branching element has a branching-element body, which is designed to be arranged essentially vertically on the wall of the main line, wherein the branching-element body has at least one opening, which is designed so as to at least partially coincide with the through-flow opening of the main line, and wherein the branching-element body has at least one collar, which is designed so as to at least partially enclose the wall of the main line and to be integrally connected to the wall of the main line by heating, wherein an inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element is designed so as to at least impede, preferably prevent, an ingress of a melt of the heated material of the branching-element body into the branching opening of the wall of the main line, and wherein at least part of the inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element, preferably the entire inner edge, has at least one engagement element, which can extend at least partially into the branching opening of the wall of the main line, characterized in that at least part of the inner edge of the opening of the branching-element body of the branching element, preferably the entire inner edge, has at least one aperture, which is designed so as to at least partially accommodate the melt.