Low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp has a discharge vessel (10) enclosing, in a gastight manner, a discharge space (13) provided with a filling of mercury and an inert gas in a gastight manner. The discharge vessel comprising electrodes (20a; 20b) arranged in the discharge space for maintaining a discharge in the discharge space. According to the invention, the probability of failure of the low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp being substantially determined by one of the electrodes. As upon igniting the low-pressure mercury vapor discharge lamp the ignition-related events influence the electrodes, preferably, the ignition-related events substantially are prevented affecting the one electrode.