Shaving unit for a rotary electric shaver , comprising a base portion and a hair-cutting unit which is releasably coupled to the base portion , wherein: - the hair-cutting unit comprises an external cutting member with hair-entry openings , an internal cutting member which is covered by and rotatable relative to the external cutting member about a central axis (Ac) of the hair-cutting unit , a supporting member surrounding and supporting the external cutting member , and a holder mounted to the supporting member for keeping the external cutting member and the internal cutting member in an operational position in the supporting member ; - the base portion comprises a hair-collecting chamber and a drive shaft extending through an opening in a bottom portion of the base portion ; - in a coupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , the drive shaft extends through an opening in the holder and engages the internal cutting member for driving the internal cutting member into rotation about the central axis (A c ); - in a decoupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , the hair-collecting chamber is accessible for a user of the shaving unit ; - the base portion comprises a first shielding member integrally formed with the bottom portion of the base portion and surrounding the opening in the bottom portion of the base portion ; - the holder comprises a second shielding member integrally formed with the holder and surrounding the opening in the holder ; and - in the coupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , an upper rim of the first shielding member and a lower rim of the second shielding member mutually engage such that the first shielding member and the second shielding member together surround the drive shaft and thereby seal the opening in the bottom portion of the base portion relative to the hair-collecting chamber . - the hair-cutting unit comprises an external cutting member with hair-entry openings , an internal cutting member which is covered by and rotatable relative to the external cutting member about a central axis (Ac) of the hair-cutting unit , a supporting member surrounding and supporting the external cutting member , and a holder mounted to the supporting member for keeping the external cutting member and the internal cutting member in an operational position in the supporting member ; - the base portion comprises a hair-collecting chamber and a drive shaft extending through an opening in a bottom portion of the base portion ; - in a coupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , the drive shaft extends through an opening in the holder and engages the internal cutting member for driving the internal cutting member into rotation about the central axis (A c ); - in a decoupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , the hair-collecting chamber is accessible for a user of the shaving unit ; - the base portion comprises a first shielding member integrally formed with the bottom portion of the base portion and surrounding the opening in the bottom portion of the base portion ; - the holder comprises a second shielding member integrally formed with the holder and surrounding the opening in the holder ; and - in the coupled condition of the hair-cutting unit and the base portion , an upper rim of the first shielding member and a lower rim of the second shielding member mutually engage such that the first shielding member and the second shielding member together surround the drive shaft and thereby seal the opening in the bottom portion of the base portion relative to the hair-collecting chamber . <EOS>