A contact element for plug connectors includes plug contacts arranged on the plug side and a crimp connection arranged on the cable connection side, and at least one primary locking element and at least one secondary locking element. The plug contacts and the crimp connection are offset from one another in an axially parallel manner; the at least one primary locking element has two locking springs which act transversely in relation to the plugging direction, and which are mirror-symmetrically arranged in relation to a plugging device plane; and the at least one secondary locking element is arranged in the contact element in a mirror-symmetric manner in relation to the plugging device plane, and has at least one secondary locking recess running transversely in relation to the plugging direction.