The surgical stapling instrument comprises an elongate shaft assembly including a surgical end effector defining a shaft axis and operatively coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical end effector includes a cartridge support member configured to operatively support a surgical staple cartridge therein. The surgical instrument further includes a longitudinally movable firing beam that extends through the articulation joint and is selectively axially movable from a start position to an end position within the surgical end effector. A firing beam lock assembly comprising a biasing member is operably supported on the articulation joint and is configured to apply a biasing motion to the firing beam to bias the firing beam into a locked position, The firing beam is prevented from moving from the start position to the end position unless the unexposed surgical staple cartridge is operably supported within the cartridge support member.
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