Reciprocating-piston machine, in particular a two-stage or multi-stage piston compressor, comprising: - a first connecting rod (P1, P1'), which is designed to deflect a first piston and which has a connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), in particular wherein the first connecting rod (P1, P1') is a drive connecting rod (P1, P1'), - a second connecting rod, which is designed to deflect a second piston and which has at least one further connecting-rod eye (P2A2, P2A2'), in particular wherein the second connecting rod is a follower connecting rod, and - a coupling element (L2B), which extends through the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2') and the at least one further connecting-rod eye (P2A2, P2A2') and about which the first connecting rod (P1, P1') and the second connecting rod are rotatable relative to each other, wherein a coupling bearing element is arranged between the coupling element (L2B) and a connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), and wherein a damping element (L2E, L2E') with elastic damping action is arranged in an annular damping space between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), characterized in that the damping element (L2E, L2E') fills the annular damping space in such a way that a ball-joint configuration, which produces a form fit, is obtained between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'). - a first connecting rod (P1, P1'), which is designed to deflect a first piston and which has a connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), in particular wherein the first connecting rod (P1, P1') is a drive connecting rod (P1, P1'), - a second connecting rod, which is designed to deflect a second piston and which has at least one further connecting-rod eye (P2A2, P2A2'), in particular wherein the second connecting rod is a follower connecting rod, - a coupling element (L2B), which extends through the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2') and the at least one further connecting-rod eye (P2A2, P2A2') and about which the first connecting rod (P1, P1') and the second connecting rod are rotatable relative to each other, wherein a coupling bearing element is arranged between the coupling element (L2B) and a connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), and wherein a damping element (L2E, L2E') with elastic damping action is arranged in an annular damping space between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), characterized in that the damping element (L2E, L2E') fills the annular damping space in such a way that a ball-joint configuration, which produces a form fit, is obtained between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'). wherein a coupling bearing element is arranged between the coupling element (L2B) and a connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), and wherein a damping element (L2E, L2E') with elastic damping action is arranged in an annular damping space between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2'), characterized in that the damping element (L2E, L2E') fills the annular damping space in such a way that a ball-joint configuration, which produces a form fit, is obtained between the coupling bearing element (L2, L2') and the connecting-rod eye inner surface (PA2IO, PA2IO') of the connecting-rod eye (P1A2, P1A2').