High-speed communication links with self-aligned scrambling on a communication link that sends scrambled signals may include a slave device that may self-align by initially detecting an unscrambled preamble symbol and more particularly detect an edge of the unscrambled preamble symbol. Based on the detected edge, a fine alignment adjustment may be made by testing subsequent scrambled data for a repeated pattern such as an IDLE symbol by comparing the repeated pattern to a candidate scrambled sequence that has been received through the communication link. The comparison may use an exclusive OR (XOR) circuit on some bits to derive a scrambler seed that is used to test for a match for the remaining bits. If there is a match, the scrambler seed and frame alignment have been detected and alignment is achieved.