The point of no return in Mass Effect 3 is starting Priority: Cerberus Headquarters. Once that mission begins, side missions, DLC missions, and the Citadel are closed, and the only way forward is the final mission on Earth.
Admiral Hackett warns you when you fly to it, and you can back out at that point. A number of side missions also close much earlier in the game, so both lists are below.
Exactly Where the Line Is
The mission is at Cronos Station, in the Anadius system of the Horse Head Nebula. Selecting it brings up Hackett’s warning, and you can still turn around.
| Stage | What is still open |
|---|---|
| Before you start the mission | Everything still available |
| After you start the mission | No side missions, no DLC missions, no Citadel. Procurement still works |
| After you finish the mission | You can only travel to Sol |
| When you travel to Sol | Priority: Earth begins, with no backing out |
The good news: you are not locked out forever. After the credits, the game reloads a save from just before Priority: Cerberus Headquarters, so you can still finish what you skipped, including DLC. Keep your own manual save there too.
What to Finish First
Do all of these before you commit. Any of them still in your journal stay undone until the post-credits reload.
| Content | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Citadel DLC, including the party | Closes entirely. The biggest thing to miss |
| Leviathan and Omega DLC missions | About 620 and 405 war assets |
| All N7 missions | Credits, experience, and some assets |
| Arrae: Ex-Cerberus Scientists | Assets, plus returning characters |
| Kallini: Ardat-Yakshi Monastery | Assets, plus returning characters |
| Aria’s missions (Blood Pack, Blue Suns, and Eclipse) | Asset bonuses |
| Dekuuna: Elcor Extraction | Assets |
| Priority: Eden Prime | Javik, plus assets |
| Citadel fetch missions, artifacts, and scans | Small amounts that add up |
| Spectre Terminal purchases | Small amounts that add up |
Check your total on the War Terminal once these are done. Treat that number as final, then read our best ending guide if you are short.
Also check on anyone you want to keep. Miranda’s chain resolves at Priority: Horizon, well before this line.
Missions That Close Earlier
These are the ones that catch people out. Starting certain story missions quietly closes the side missions listed next to them.
| Do this before… | Missions that close |
|---|---|
| Priority: Tuchanka | Benning: Evidence, Citadel: Alien Medi-Gel Formula, Citadel: Barla Von, Citadel: Biotic Amp Interfaces, Citadel: Hanar Diplomat, Citadel: Improved Power Grid, Ismar Frontier: Prototype Components |
| Priority: The Citadel II | Grissom Academy: Emergency Evacuation |
| Priority: Thessia | Tuchanka: Turian Platoon |
| Priority: Rannoch | Rannoch: Admiral Koris, Rannoch: Geth Fighter Squadrons |
| Within three missions of getting it | Tuchanka: Bomb |
| During your only visit | Eden Prime: Resistance Movement |
Priority: The Citadel II begins as soon as you return to the Citadel after Priority: Tuchanka, so finishing anything left on the station beforehand is the safest habit.
Some of these have consequences beyond a missing asset. The Rannoch pair matter for saving both the geth and the quarians. Tuchanka’s are worth a look if you are working toward the cure, since failing Tuchanka: Bomb costs a large share of your Krogan Clans.
Conversations That Close Too
These do not show up in your journal, so they are the easiest to miss. Do them before Priority: Tuchanka.
- Talk to Kelly Chambers at the Citadel if she survived.
- Talk to Thane at Huerta Memorial Hospital.
- Make the choice about the doctors at Huerta Memorial.
- Use the Spectre Terminal’s Partner Benefits Increase and Civilian Deportation Order entries.
What Is Left After You Cross It
The final mission has no side content. Your remaining choices are your last talks with your squad and which ending you pick, and you can replay them from the post-credits save or the last autosave near the end.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the point of no return in Mass Effect 3? Starting Priority: Cerberus Headquarters. You can no longer do side missions, DLC missions, or visit the Citadel after that.
Do you get a warning? Yes. Hackett warns you when you approach the mission, and you can turn back.
Can you go back after the credits? Yes. The game reloads a save from before that mission, so you can finish what you missed.
Can you still buy things after the point of no return? Yes. Procurement stays open from the Normandy.
Which missions are time sensitive in Mass Effect 3? Most Citadel side missions close when you start Priority: Tuchanka, plus the ones in the table above.
Does the Citadel DLC lock out too? Yes, at Priority: Cerberus Headquarters. Host the party before then.
Does your war asset total change after this point? Only slightly. Treat your total as final before you start the mission, and plan to clear your target without the small reward that comes after it.