In one embodiment, an apparatus includes an arbitration circuit with virtual link state machines to virtualize link states associated with multiple communication protocol stacks. The apparatus further includes a physical circuit coupled to the arbitration circuit and to interface with a physical link, where the physical circuit, in response to a retraining of the physical link, is to cause a plurality of the virtual link state machines to synchronize with corresponding virtual link state machines associated with a second side of the physical link, and where at least one of the communication protocol stacks is to remain in a low power state during the retraining and the synchronization. Other embodiments are described and claimed.