A multi-lane communication interface for use in a multi-lane link made up of two or more lanes and having a near end and a far end, the multi-lane communication interface comprising logic, when operating at a near end in cooperation with a far-end multi-lane communication interface, to: establish symbol synchronisation with the far-end interface over one or more lanes; send and receive data words to and from the far-end interface while maintaining the symbol synchronisation (A); detect a change in lane status; and upon detection of the change in lane status and while maintaining the symbol synchronisation: (a) stop sending (B) data words; (b) send (B) near-end lane-status control words to the far end instead of data words, until it is determined that the near end is ready to send data words, then resume sending (C) data words; and (c) send (C) near-end lane-alignment signals to the far end, until a data word is received from the far end, characterised in that it is determined that the near end is ready to send data words by the logic: (b1) determining that all lanes are aligned by receiving far-end lane-alignment signals from the far-end interface; (b2) validating that a number of lanes used by the far end for sending, indicated by information on lane transmit status included in a far-end lane-alignment signal received from the far-end, is equal to a number of lanes currently used by the near end for receiving; and (b3) determining near-end lane status at the near-end and matching to the determined near-end lane status a far-end lane status received in a far-end lane-status control word from the far-end interface. establish symbol synchronisation with the far-end interface over one or more lanes; send and receive data words to and from the far-end interface while maintaining the symbol synchronisation (A); detect a change in lane status; and upon detection of the change in lane status and while maintaining the symbol synchronisation: (a) stop sending (B) data words; (b) send (B) near-end lane-status control words to the far end instead of data words, until it is determined that the near end is ready to send data words, then resume sending (C) data words; and (c) send (C) near-end lane-alignment signals to the far end, until a data word is received from the far end, (a) stop sending (B) data words; (b) send (B) near-end lane-status control words to the far end instead of data words, until it is determined that the near end is ready to send data words, then resume sending (C) data words; and (c) send (C) near-end lane-alignment signals to the far end, until a data word is received from the far end, (b1) determining that all lanes are aligned by receiving far-end lane-alignment signals from the far-end interface; (b2) validating that a number of lanes used by the far end for sending, indicated by information on lane transmit status included in a far-end lane-alignment signal received from the far-end, is equal to a number of lanes currently used by the near end for receiving; and (b3) determining near-end lane status at the near-end and matching to the determined near-end lane status a far-end lane status received in a far-end lane-status control word from the far-end interface. <EOS>