A system includes a cut-through bridge including a plurality of stages within a controller for communication packet transmission to transfer data and one or more control signals successively between the stages. The system also includes a control signal interceptor within the controller operable to intercept control signals between a first stage and a second stage of the cut-through bridge. The control signal interceptor is further operable to generate a forced valid control signal for each of the control signals regardless of an error condition of the control signals. The control signal interceptor outputs the forced valid control signal for each of the control signals to the second stage of the cut-through bridge. The forced valid control signal for each of the control signals is propagated through one or more successive stages of the cut-through bridge to an end stage to prevent an invalid state at the end stage.