A method and apparatus for operating a controller for a satellite communications system during inter-beam handovers. In some aspects, the controller may perform an inter-beam handover by switching communications with a user terminal from a first beam to a second beam of a satellite. The controller receives a feedback message form the user terminal, via the first beam, after the inter-beam handover is completed, and may then selectively retransmit data to the user terminal via the second beam based at least in part on the feedback message.