A method for generating a not-yet (NYET) signal in a recovered reference system for recovering a device reference clock on a device, wherein the NYET signal indicates that the device is not yet ready for transition into a low power mode, in order to improve a quality of a recovered reference clock representative of a host reference clock of a host communicatively coupled to the device, may be provided. The method may include detecting receipt of start-of-frame markers from the host to the device, responsive to detecting receipt of the markers, determining whether a condition for NYET generation is being met, responsive to the condition for NYET generation being met, generating the NYET signal to cause the host to continue generating the markers, and responsive to the condition for NYET generation not being met, causing the device to generate an acknowledge signal for transition of the device into the low power mode.