Systems and methods for aligning the phase of a PLL with an incoming data signal. In one embodiment, when a data signal is received in a PLL, a phase perturbation signal is generated and injected into the PLL. The PLL then performs a phase alignment procedure to lock on to the received data signal. The phase perturbation signal is a damped sinusoidal oscillation that is injected into the PLL when each of a plurality of data packets is received. The perturbation signal has an amplitude sufficient to bump the PLL out of a quasi-stable state around 180 degrees out of phase with the incoming data signal, but is damped to less than a degree of phase shift within 30 ns of being injected.