The invention relates to an auto-injector (1) for administering a dose of a liquid medicament (M), comprising: a tubular chassis (2), a carrier subassembly comprising a tubular carrier (7) slidably arranged partially inside the chassis (2), the carrier (7) adapted to contain a syringe (3) with a hollow injection needle (4), a drive spring (8) and a plunger (9) for forwarding load of the drive spring (8) to a stopper (6) of the syringe (3), wherein the syringe (3) is lockable for joint axial translation with the carrier (7), a control spring (19) arranged around the carrier (7), a needle insertion control mechanism (24) for coupling a proximal end of the control spring (19) to either the carrier (7) for advancing it for needle insertion or to the chassis (2) for needle retraction depending on the relative axial position of the carrier (7) and the chassis (2), wherein the needle insertion control mechanism (24) comprises a first collar (20) biased by the control spring in a proximal direction (P), wherein at least one resilient beam (20.1) is proximally arranged on the first collar (20), wherein respective recesses are arranged in the carrier (7) and case (2), wherein a transversal extension of a head of the resilient beam (20.1) is wider than a gap between the carrier (7) and the chassis (2) causing the head of the resilient beam (20.1) to abut a distal face on the recess in the chassis (2) while being prevented from deflecting in an inward direction (I) by the carrier (7) or to abut a distal face on the recess in the carrier (7) while being prevented from deflecting in an outward direction (O) by the chassis (2) thereby forwarding load from the control spring (19) to the carrier (7) for needle insertion, wherein the resilient beam (20.1) is arranged to be switched between the chassis (2) and the carrier (7) by ramped engagement of the head to the distal faces under load of the control spring (19) depending on the relative longitudinal position between the chassis (2
