A gas-insulated load break switch , comprising: a housing defining a housing volume for holding an insulation gas at an ambient pressure; a first main contact and a second main contact , the first and second main contacts being movable in relation to each other in an axial direction (A) of the load break switch ; a first arcing contact and a second arcing contact , the first and second arcing contacts being movable in relation to each other in the axial direction (A) of the load break switch and defining an arcing region in which an arc is formed during a current breaking operation, wherein the arcing region is located radially inward from the first main contact; a pressurizing system having a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing a quenching gas during the current breaking operation; a nozzle system arranged and configured to blow the pressurized quenching gas onto the arc formed in the quenching region during the current breaking operation, the nozzle system having a nozzle supply channel for supplying at least one nozzle with the pressurized quenching gas; and an interruption chamber comprising at least one gas outlet opening , the first main contact being arranged-within the interruption chamber , characterised in that the first main contact comprises at least one pressure release opening formed such as to allow a flow of gas in a radial outward direction, a total area of the at least one pressure release opening is configured such that during a supply of the pressurized quenching gas, a reduction of the flow of gas out of the pressure release opening is suppressed, and the at least one gas outlet opening is formed such as to allow, in co-operation with the at least one pressure release opening , a flow of gas in a radial outward direction into an ambient-pressure region of the housing volume. a housing defining a housing volume for holding an insulation gas at an ambient pressure; a first main contact and a second main contact , the first and second main contacts being movable in relation to each other in an axial direction (A) of the load break switch ; a first arcing contact and a second arcing contact , the first and second arcing contacts being movable in relation to each other in the axial direction (A) of the load break switch and defining an arcing region in which an arc is formed during a current breaking operation, wherein the arcing region is located radially inward from the first main contact; a pressurizing system having a pressurizing chamber for pressurizing a quenching gas during the current breaking operation; a nozzle system arranged and configured to blow the pressurized quenching gas onto the arc formed in the quenching region during the current breaking operation, the nozzle system having a nozzle supply channel for supplying at least one nozzle with the pressurized quenching gas; and an interruption chamber comprising at least one gas outlet opening , the first main contact being arranged-within the interruption chamber , characterised in that the first main contact comprises at least one pressure release opening formed such as to allow a flow of gas in a radial outward direction, a total area of the at least one pressure release opening is configured such that during a supply of the pressurized quenching gas, a reduction of the flow of gas out of the pressure release opening is suppressed, and the at least one gas outlet opening is formed such as to allow, in co-operation with the at least one pressure release opening , a flow of gas in a radial outward direction into an ambient-pressure region of the housing volume. <EOS>