The CROP-11 deep seismic profile across the central Apennines, Italy, reveals a previously unknown, mid-crustal antiform here interpreted as a fault-bend fold-like structure. The seismic facies and gravity signature suggest that this structure consists of low-grade metamorphic rocks. Geomorphological, stratigraphic and tectonic evidence in the overlying shallow thrusts suggests that this structure developed in early to mid-Messinian time and grew out of sequence in late Messinian–Pliocene time. The out-of-sequence growth may reflect a taper subcriticality stage of the Apenninic thrust wedge, which induced renewed contraction in the rear.