A latch has a unidirectional power release mechanism. The mechanism has a rotatable gear with a boss on the gear, a motor for rotating the gear to orbit the gear boss through an operating cycle of the mechanism, a ratchet movable from a latched position to an unlatched position, a pawl lever, a pawl, and a toggle which moves between a first toggle position and a second toggle position to set the limits of the operating cycle of the mechanism. The toggle pivots in response to the orbiting gear boss and presents a stop for the gear boss at the end of the operating cycle. The gear boss effects movement of the pawl lever to effect unlatching and stops the orbiting gear boss when it encounters the stop. The toggle is pivoted back removing the stop in response to the ratchet rotating to the latched position.