A target configuration prediction system that provides an initiator coupled to a bus system with a prediction of the configuration type of a target. The present invention stores information regarding the address and configuration of targets and utilizes this information to predict the address of a target an initiator is currently attempting to access. The prediction is based upon the proximity of stored target addresses to a target address an initiator is currently trying to access and the probability that targets with addresses within certain ranges are the same target configuration type. The configuration type is determined by initiator component logic during an initial attempt at accessing a target and a status bit indicating the configuration type is stored in a status bit component. In a retry situation, an initiator relies on the status bit indications stored in the status bit component to identify a target configuration, so that the initiator does not engage in configuration determination handshaking with a target in a retry situation.