Methods and systems for operating a packet switch that communicates packets with error indication, including the steps of: receiving a packet comprising an error detection field; utilizing the error detection field to identify an error in the packet; marking the occurrence of the error in an error propagation field in the packet; updating the value of the error detection field; and forwarding the modified packet, with the updated value of the error detection field and the error propagation field, according to information carried in the packet.