The illustrative embodiments provide a computer implemented method and an apparatus for correcting data errors. An error correction unit receives data from a register. Responsive to receiving the data from the register, the error correction unit determines whether an error is present in the data. Responsive to identifying the error in the data, the error correction unit corrects the data to form corrected data. Responsive to correcting the error in the data, the error correction unit notifies a counter in the register to update.