A linear actuator provided for moving a load includes an actuator housing having a tube and a housing bottom at one end of the tube and a housing head at another end of the tube. The linear actuator further includes a piston guided longitudinally in the actuator housing, and an actuator rod assembled with the piston and configured to protrude out of the actuator housing in a manner which is guided in the housing head. The linear actuator is configured such that reliability of operation is increased and damage of structural parts is largely avoided. The linear actuator achieves these results by virtue of the fact that there is at least one plastically deformable buffer element which can be supported on the housing head and can be deformed in the case of an impact of the piston. The buffer element is configured to convert kinetic energy into deformation work.