Methods and devices for gating an internal data strobe from an input buffer of a memory device. The gating function occurs after a write operation ceases but before an external controller stops driving an external data strobe that is used to generate the internal data strobe. The methods and devices use local counters to count how many pulses have occurred on the data strobe during a write operation. When the local counters indicate that an expected number of cycles for the write operation have elapsed, the local counters indicate that the write operation has completed. This indication causes gating circuitry to cut off the internal data strobe from writing circuitry.