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 . <EOS>