A safety catheter includes a catheter hub (16), a catheter tube (18), a needle hub (20), a needle cannula (22) having a distal tip (24), and a tip protector (30). The tip protector (30) includes an outer member (34) having a flexible tab (130) configured to releasably engage with the catheter hub (16) and release therefrom upon inward flexing of the tab (130). An inner member (32) is positioned entirely within the outer member (34) and has a portion (64) that impedes inward flexing of the tab (130) when disposed adjacent thereto. The inner member (32) is axially shiftable relative to the outer member (32) between a first position wherein the needle tip (22) is distal of the tip protector (30) and the inner member portion (64) is disposed adjacent the tab (130) to impede release from the catheter hub (16), and a second position wherein the tip (22) is within the outer member (34) and the inner member portion (64) is no longer adjacent the tab (130) and no longer impedes release from the catheter hub (16).
