A method for implementing path protection in multicasting, the method comprising: establishing, by a head node, a point to multi-point, P2MP, tree spanning from the head node to a plurality of tail nodes (132, 134, 136), the P2MP tree including additional mid-point nodes (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708), the P2MP tree providing a label switched path from the head node to a particular tail node (132, 134, 136); identifying, by the head node, a first plurality of source-to-leaf, S2L, sub-LSPs for the LSP, the first plurality of S2L sub-LSPs included within the P2MP tree and each S2L sub-LSP spanning over at least one mid-point node; identifying, by the head node, a second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs for the LSP, the second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs included within the P2MP tree and each S2L sub-LSP spanning over at least one mid-point node (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708), each S2L sub-LSP corresponding to a respective S2L sub-LSP in the first plurality, and each S2L sub-LSP in the second plurality and the respective S2L sub-LSP in the first plurality having no overlapping mid-point nodes (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612,622,624,632,702,704,706,708); setting, by the head node, a first flag of an object in a Resource Reservation Protocol, RSVP, path message to designate the second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at a baseline level of protection; setting, by the head node, a second flag of the object in the RSVP path message to designate a subset of S2L sub-LSPs in the second plurality as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at an elevated level of protection, the second flag being different from the first flag; and transmitting, from the head node to other nodes (122, 124, 132, 134, 136, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708) in the P2MP tree, the RSVP path message. establishing, by a head node, a point to multi-point, P2MP, tree spanning from the head node to a plurality of tail nodes (132, 134, 136), the P2MP tree including additional mid-point nodes (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708), the P2MP tree providing a label switched path from the head node to a particular tail node (132, 134, 136); identifying, by the head node, a first plurality of source-to-leaf, S2L, sub-LSPs for the LSP, the first plurality of S2L sub-LSPs included within the P2MP tree and each S2L sub-LSP spanning over at least one mid-point node; identifying, by the head node, a second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs for the LSP, the second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs included within the P2MP tree and each S2L sub-LSP spanning over at least one mid-point node (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708), each S2L sub-LSP corresponding to a respective S2L sub-LSP in the first plurality, and each S2L sub-LSP in the second plurality and the respective S2L sub-LSP in the first plurality having no overlapping mid-point nodes (122, 124, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612,622,624,632,702,704,706,708); setting, by the head node, a first flag of an object in a Resource Reservation Protocol, RSVP, path message to designate the second plurality of S2L sub-LSPs as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at a baseline level of protection; setting, by the head node, a second flag of the object in the RSVP path message to designate a subset of S2L sub-LSPs in the second plurality as protecting respective S2L sub-LSPs in the first plurality at an elevated level of protection, the second flag being different from the first flag; and transmitting, from the head node to other nodes (122, 124, 132, 134, 136, 512, 522, 524, 532, 612, 622, 624, 632, 702, 704, 706, 708) in the P2MP tree, the RSVP path message.