A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising: a housing (102, 202); an elongated member (104, 204) extending from the housing (102, 202); a reload supported on a distal end of the elongated member (104, 204), the reload including a first jaw member releasably supporting a cartridge and a second jaw member supporting an anvil, the cartridge including a slide deflector movable from a first position to a second position; at least one lockout step (120a, 120b) provided on one of the first and second jaw members (108, 110); a drive member including a working end configured to translate through the reload when the first and second jaw members (108, 110) are in a closed configuration, the working end being urged to move toward the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b); and wherein, in the first position, the slide deflector is positioned to prevent engagement of the working end of the drive member with the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b), and in the second position the slide deflector is positioned to allow engagement of the working end of the drive member with the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b) to prevent further advancement of the working end, characterized in that the slide deflector is removably coupled to an actuation sled of the cartridge, and a proximal end 131a of slide deflector defines an angled surface which is, in the first position, positioned to deflect working end of drive member away from the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b), wherein, upon actuation of the surgical apparatus, distal translation of the working end causes the slide deflector to move from the first position to the second position. a housing (102, 202); an elongated member (104, 204) extending from the housing (102, 202); a reload supported on a distal end of the elongated member (104, 204), the reload including a first jaw member releasably supporting a cartridge and a second jaw member supporting an anvil, the cartridge including a slide deflector movable from a first position to a second position; at least one lockout step (120a, 120b) provided on one of the first and second jaw members (108, 110); a drive member including a working end configured to translate through the reload when the first and second jaw members (108, 110) are in a closed configuration, the working end being urged to move toward the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b); and wherein, in the first position, the slide deflector is positioned to prevent engagement of the working end of the drive member with the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b), and in the second position the slide deflector is positioned to allow engagement of the working end of the drive member with the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b) to prevent further advancement of the working end, characterized in that the slide deflector is removably coupled to an actuation sled of the cartridge, and a proximal end 131a of slide deflector defines an angled surface which is, in the first position, positioned to deflect working end of drive member away from the at least one lockout step (120a, 120b), wherein, upon actuation of the surgical apparatus, distal translation of the working end causes the slide deflector to move from the first position to the second position.