A gas-discharge lamp (1) is described having two electrodes (4, 5) that project into the discharge vessel (3) of the lamp. The lamp further comprises an outer envelope (18) that surrounds the discharge vessel (3), with an airtight seal, while leaving an outer cavity (20) between itself and the discharge vessel (3) and that is filled with a gas at a pressure of not more than 1,000 mbar. In the outer cavity (20), there is a single conductor, electrically connected to one of the electrodes, that is in direct contact with the gas filling in the cavity (20) to allow a high-voltage pulse to be applied for igniting a discharge between the conductor and its surroundings. Also described are a method of operating a gas-discharge lamp of this kind and various methods of producing gas-discharge lamps of this kind.