A surgical instrument with a stowing knife blade includes an elongated shaft, an end effector coupled to the shaft and including two opposed jaws, a housing included in one of the jaws, a first member mounted in the housing and movable distally, a knife pivotally coupled with the first member, and a second member. The knife is configured to cut when advanced distally. The first and second members are moved distally at the same rate during a cutting motion of the knife and the second member blocks a rotation of the knife relative to the first member during the cutting motion of the knife. After moving through the first distance, relative movement between the first and second members occurs so as to permit or induce the previously blocked rotation of the knife so that the knife can be stowed.