A crop residue spreader for a combine harvester, comprising: - a plurality of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) arranged in a first group (110.1) and a second group (110.2), - a planar spreader frame element having a bottom surface to which the first and second group of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) are displaceably mounted, the first and second group of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) being mounted on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the crop residue spreader, the planar spreader frame element comprising a guide slot (190.1, 190.2) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; - a first cover plate (140.1) that is displaceably mounted to a top surface of the planar spreader frame element, the first cover plate (140.1) being connected to the first group of deflector elements (110.1) via connecting members extending through the guide slot (190.1, 190.2) and being configured to, at least partly, cover the guide slot (190.1, 190.2); - a second cover plate (140.2) that is displaceably mounted to the top surface of the planar spreader frame element, the second cover plate (140.2) being connected to the second group of deflector elements (110.2) via connecting members extending through the guide slot (190.1, 190.2) and being configured to, at least partly, cover the guide slot (190.1, 190.2); whereby a relative displacement of the first and second cover plates away from each other causes a part of the guide slot to be uncovered; the crop residue spreader further comprising a third cover plate configured to cover, at least partly, the uncovered part of the guide slot, and characterized in that the third cover plate (140.3) is configured to displace, in response to the relative displacement of the first and second cover plates (140.1, 140.2), in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, in order to cover, at least partly, the uncovered part of the guide slot (190.1, 190.2). - a plurality of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) arranged in a first group (110.1) and a second group (110.2), - a planar spreader frame element having a bottom surface to which the first and second group of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) are displaceably mounted, the first and second group of deflector elements (110.1, 110.2) being mounted on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the crop residue spreader, the planar spreader frame element comprising a guide slot (190.1, 190.2) extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; - a first cover plate (140.1) that is displaceably mounted to a top surface of the planar spreader frame element, the first cover plate (140.1) being connected to the first group of deflector elements (110.1) via connecting members extending through the guide slot (190.1, 190.2) and being configured to, at least partly, cover the guide slot (190.1, 190.2); - a second cover plate (140.2) that is displaceably mounted to the top surface of the planar spreader frame element, the second cover plate (140.2) being connected to the second group of deflector elements (110.2) via connecting members extending through the guide slot (190.1, 190.2) and being configured to, at least partly, cover the guide slot (190.1, 190.2);