Abstract: The invention presents an automatically positioned needle guard for a hypodermic needle. The needle guard includes a hollow stem having one end adapted to fit a syringe and an opposite end designed to hold the base of a hypodermic needle. One end of a housing is slidably mounted on the stem for sliding between a first position wherein the housing covers the needle and a second position wherein the needle tip protrudes from the housing. An elastic member is attached to the side of the stem, and a slidable ring is mounted around the stem near the elastic member. When expanded, the elastic member blocks the housing from sliding from the first position to second position. When the ring is slid over the elastic member, the ring forces the elastic member flush against the stem so that the housing can slide to its second position. After the needle has been used, a spring cooperative between the housing and stem automatically pushes the housing toward its first position.