A method of power delivery. Port controllers each include a state machine, an IO pin, a receptacle supply pin receiving power from a receptacle, and a gate driver pin coupled to a control node of a power path switch each having an output coupled to a load. The state machines implement a dead-battery control (DBC) algorithm upon sensing a DB condition. The DBC algorithm pulls up the IO pin, starts a timer for T1, and monitors the IO pin for T1. If the IO pin is pulled low, the port controller is reset for a pulled low period, the DBC algorithm is then restarted or its IO pin is monitored until not pulled low for T1. One port controller pulls its IO pin low for an assertion period to claim priority over the other port controller, and closes its associated power path switch to exclusively provide power to the load.