The invention relates to a cutting blade overload protection (10) for a cutting unit (11) of a harvester (100) for stalk and leaf material, comprising at least one cutting blade (13), which can swivel about a cutting blade swivel axis (12) and is connected to a toggle lever mechanism (14). The toggle lever mechanism (14) comprises two toggle levers (16, 17) which are coupled to one another so as to swivel about a toggle lever swivel axis (15) and which move the cutting blade (13) out of a working position (P1) into a rest position (P2) when a pre-defined force (F1) is exceeded. The invention further relates to a harvester (100) equipped with at least one such cutting blade overload protection (10). In order to protect the cutting blade (13) better against damage in the event of contact with foreign bodies, according to the invention the cutting blade overload protection (10) is equipped with a special toggle lever mechanism (14) which comprises a stop (24) and a spring element (19) and in which the spring element (19) and the stop (24) co-operate such that when the pre-defined force (F1) is exceeded the toggle lever swivel axis (15) is moved over a dead centre (20) and changes the position of the toggle lever (16, 17) from a first bent position (21) via an extended position (22) into a second bent position (23).
