Abstract The mechanism of austenite reversion from martensite in a cold rolled medium‑manganese steel has been clarified. Both displacive and reconstructive transformation happens but at a specific temperature ranges. Mechanical stabilisation of martensite into austenite were observed to take place between 300 °C and 500 °C proving the transformation at this temperature range is displacive. The time-dependent characteristic and the plastic deformation stimulating austenite transformation reveal that the transformation occurs above 500 °C is reconstructive. A thermodynamic theory was developed to express the mechanical stabilisation phenomenon of martensite.