Computer-readable media, apparatus and other embodiments associated with performing comma alignment with scrambled data are described. One example method includes controlling an apparatus to generate a data stream that facilitates achieving and determining alignment in a device. The data stream includes sequences of N random portions of Y-bit characters followed by a Z-bit alignment character, N, Y and Z being integers. Another example method includes controlling an apparatus to receive and examine the data stream. The method also includes generating an alignment signal upon determining an alignment for recovered data in the device.