Various embodiments of a method and apparatus for controlling transaction flow in a communications fabric is disclosed. In one embodiment, an IC includes a communications fabric connecting multiple agents to one another. Each agent may include an interface coupling itself to at least one other agent. Each interface may include multiple queues for storing information corresponding to pending transactions. Also included in each interface is an arbitration unit and control logic. The control logic may determine which transactions are presented to the arbitration unit for arbitration. In one embodiment, the control logic may inhibit certain transactions from being presented to the arbitration unit so that other higher priority transactions may advance. In another embodiment, the control logic may reduce the priority level of some transactions for arbitration purposes to prevent the blocking of other higher priority transactions.