Following invasion of host cells, Salmonella occupies an intracellular vacuole that superficially resembles a phagosome. However, unlike bona fide phagosomes that undergo a maturation process to become microbicidal phago-lysosomes, Salmonella avoid killing by arresting and diverting the maturation program of the invasion vacuole. As a result of this re-routing, the bacteria generate a protected niche where they survive and replicate.