System and method for early packet header verification

A transmitter for an early packet header verification, the transmitter comprising:

• a CRC encoder configured to calculate a CRC against a header flit of a current packet and a payload flit of a preceding packet;
• and
• a physical layer interface configured to transmit said preceding packet and said current packet.

A receiver for an early packet header verification, the receiver comprising:

• a physical layer interface configured to receive a payload flit of a preceding packet and a header flit of a current packet;
• and
• a CRC decoder configured to verify said payload flit of said preceding packet and said header flit of said current packet using a CRC in said header flit.