In this paper, the writer introduces the theoretical concept of Protective-Identification as a defence mechanism. As an ego adaptive strategy, Protective-Identification allows the ego to remain defensively attached to internal objects. As a form of protection against trauma or feared loss or abandonment by the object, the infantile ego resorts to oral assimilation defences in order to preserve harmonious internal ego-object relations and ego-object cathexes. It is argued here that Protective-Identification as a defence operates at the regressed level of primary narcissistic identification with the object at the cost of integrated ego autonomy.