A 73-year-old man presented with haemorrhagic pleural effusion, having been diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The differential diagnosis of haemorrhagic pleural effusion is considered. Tuberculosis and pleural infiltration of CLL are considered most likely. Pleural biopsy confirms the diagnosis of pleural involvement of CLL in this case. Although pleural involvement of CLL has been reported several times the presentation of pleural effusion as the first symptom of CLL has not previously been described.