Piezoelectric shear mode sensor element for a shear mode sensor device, the sensor element comprising - a sensor block made of a piezoelectric material having an intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the piezoelectric material is also pyroelectric, wherein the sensor block in an axial direction has axial ends (103, 104), and wherein the sensor block in lateral directions perpendicular to the axial direction has lateral side faces (105, 106, 107, 108, 110); and - sensor electrodes (111, 112) arranged at the axial ends (103, 104) of the sensor block, the sensor electrodes being adapted for capturing a shear mode sensor signal; characterized in that the sensor element further comprises - a discharge guard (121, 122) made of an electrically conductive material comprising free charge carriers, the discharge guard thus being adapted to locally alter and/or rearrange charges in response to pyroelectric displacement charges on the lateral side faces (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) of the sensor block, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) comprises at least a first guard electrode arranged on a first lateral side face (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) of the sensor block, the first lateral side face (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) comprising a surface normal with a component that is parallel to the intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) further comprises at least a second guard electrode arranged on a second lateral side face of the sensor block, the second lateral side face comprising a surface normal with a component that is anti-parallel to the intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) further comprises a charge transfer element connecting the first and second guard electrodes to each other. - a sensor block made of a piezoelectric material having an intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the piezoelectric material is also pyroelectric, wherein the sensor block in an axial direction has axial ends (103, 104), and wherein the sensor block in lateral directions perpendicular to the axial direction has lateral side faces (105, 106, 107, 108, 110); and - sensor electrodes (111, 112) arranged at the axial ends (103, 104) of the sensor block, the sensor electrodes being adapted for capturing a shear mode sensor signal; - a discharge guard (121, 122) made of an electrically conductive material comprising free charge carriers, the discharge guard thus being adapted to locally alter and/or rearrange charges in response to pyroelectric displacement charges on the lateral side faces (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) of the sensor block, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) comprises at least a first guard electrode arranged on a first lateral side face (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) of the sensor block, the first lateral side face (105, 106, 107, 108, 110) comprising a surface normal with a component that is parallel to the intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) further comprises at least a second guard electrode arranged on a second lateral side face of the sensor block, the second lateral side face comprising a surface normal with a component that is anti-parallel to the intrinsic polarization axis, wherein the discharge guard (121, 122) further comprises a charge transfer element connecting the first and second guard electrodes to each other.