An apparatus is provided which comprises: an input/output (I/O) port; a first circuitry to update an in-band presence detect field, based on communication via an in-band channel; a second circuitry to update an out-of-band presence detect field, based on communication via an out-of-band channel; and a third circuitry to update a presence detect state change field, wherein the third circuitry is to selectively ignore the out-of-band presence detect field and utilize the in-band presence detect field, while the third circuitry is to update the presence detect state change field.