A protective cover for a cutting wheel of a hand-held cut-off machine driven by an internal combustion engine has a circumferential wall and two opposed sidewalls adjoining the circumferential wall. The circumferential wall and the two sidewalls are a monolithic component made of cast light metal. The circumferential wall in a circumferential direction has at least over sections thereof a first integral thicker portion. The two sidewalls are thinner than the first integral thicker portion. Preferably, the protective cover is made of diecast magnesium.