An electrical connector assembly, comprising: a first connector body including a flexible pre-stage locking arm defining a pre-stage stop face; a male terminal stabilizer disposed within the first connector body that is moveable from a pre-staged position to a full staged position and defines a pre-stage stop tab and a flexible retention arm, wherein the pre-stage stop face of the pre-stage locking arm is configured to engage the pre-stage stop tab to inhibit movement of the male terminal stabilizer from the pre-staged position to the full staged position and wherein the flexible retention arm is configured to engage a retention stop face defined by the first connector body; and a second connector body configured to contact the flexible pre-stage locking arm and disengage the pre-stage stop face from the pre-stage stop tab when the first connector body is mated with the second connector body, thereby allowing the second connector body to push the male terminal stabilizer from the pre-staged position to the full staged position, wherein the male terminal stabilizer defines a flexible retraction arm configured to engage a retraction face defined by the second connector body when the first connector body is unmated from the second connector body, thereby pulling the male terminal stabilizer from the full staged position to the pre-staged position, characterized in that the flexible pre-stage locking arm further defines a pair of angled rib features flanking the pre-stage stop face, wherein the second connector body defines a pair of laterally aligned rib features on a leading edge of the second connector body that are configured to contact the pair of angled rib features and bend them outwardly to disengage the pre-stage stop faces of the pre-stage locking arms from the pre-stage stop tab on the male terminal stabilizer when the first connector body is mated with the second connector body. a first connector body including a flexible pre-stage locking arm defining a pre-stage stop face; a male terminal stabilizer disposed within the first connector body that is moveable from a pre-staged position to a full staged position and defines a pre-stage stop tab and a flexible retention arm, wherein the pre-stage stop face of the pre-stage locking arm is configured to engage the pre-stage stop tab to inhibit movement of the male terminal stabilizer from the pre-staged position to the full staged position and wherein the flexible retention arm is configured to engage a retention stop face defined by the first connector body; and a second connector body configured to contact the flexible pre-stage locking arm and disengage the pre-stage stop face from the pre-stage stop tab when the first connector body is mated with the second connector body, thereby allowing the second connector body to push the male terminal stabilizer from the pre-staged position to the full staged position, wherein the male terminal stabilizer defines a flexible retraction arm configured to engage a retraction face defined by the second connector body when the first connector body is unmated from the second connector body, thereby pulling the male terminal stabilizer from the full staged position to the pre-staged position, characterized in that the flexible pre-stage locking arm further defines a pair of angled rib features flanking the pre-stage stop face, wherein the second connector body defines a pair of laterally aligned rib features on a leading edge of the second connector body that are configured to contact the pair of angled rib features and bend them outwardly to disengage the pre-stage stop faces of the pre-stage locking arms from the pre-stage stop tab on the male terminal stabilizer when the first connector body is mated with the second connector body.