A method and apparatus for synchronizing operations between a first circuit and a second circuit is disclosed. The method involves writing receive data from the first circuit to a first ring buffer at a first rate. The first ring buffer has a fixed-length of buffer elements and respective read and write buffer pointers. The buffered receive data is read from the first ring buffer to the second circuit at a second data rate. The respective positions of the read and write buffer pointers are detected, and a relative position between the read and write pointers is dynamically adjusted to enforce at least a predetermined minimum spacing. The dynamic adjustment comprises selectively adding or deleting portions of the data to or from the ring buffer.