Consistent with the present disclosure, a communication system is provided in which client data is received and provided in frames for transmission within the system. The frames include an overhead portion as well as locations that include the client data. The frames further include phase data or “virtual justifications” that periodically correct the difference between the phase represented by the data locations in the wrapper and the actual accumulated client phase. The phase data or virtual justifications, however, are decoupled from the data path. Therefore, without complicating the data path, the phase data may be sent more frequently and with finer granularity than the actual justifications. Virtual justifications or phase data are communicated via a “virtual justification control channel” which may part of the frame overhead. Moreover, there is no need for an actual “virtual justification opportunity” in the frame, because no data is actually sent in conjunction with the virtual justifications.