A low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp has a light-transmitting discharge vessel enclosing, in a gastight manner, a discharge space provided with a filling of mercury and a rare gas. The discharge vessel includes electrode(s) for maintaining a discharge in the discharge space. The discharge vessel further includes a dispenser for controllably dispensing hydrogen into the discharge space during lamp operation. The hydrogen gas pressure during lamp operation is in the range between 10−3 Pa and 10 Pa.