A gas generator, in particular for a vehicle occupant restraint system, has a pyrotechnical propellant (16), a combustion chamber (12) filled with the pyrotechnical propellant (16), an igniter (14) associated with the combustion chamber (12), a pressure chamber (18), filled with compressed gas, which is adjacent to the combustion chamber (12) and has a first opening (22) remote from the combustion chamber (12) closed by a first diaphragm (26), the diaphragm (26) being destroyed upon activation of the igniter (14), and a second pressure chamber (28) which is filled with compressed gas and has a second opening (34) closed by a second diaphragm (36). The second diaphragm (36) is likewise destroyed upon activation of the igniter (14), and the openings (22, 34) and the gas volumes of the pressure chambers (18, 28) are adapted so that compressed gas flows out from the second pressure chamber (28) for a longer period than compressed gas from the first pressure chamber (18) to increase a gas supply time of the gas generator (10). Further, a method of activating a vehicle occupant restraint system is described.