A method for communicating backpressure messaging over a serial encoded link is disclosed. Embodiments of the invention enable advanced backpressure signaling to be retrofitted into legacy systems to achieve performance improvements and support new or enhanced services. Specifically, such signaling enables per-context and per-priority backpressure signaling information to be conveyed by a backpressure message; thereby enabling flow control to be performed in accordance with a priority or context associated with a traffic flow, or flows, carried over the serial link.