Abstract: A method and system for performing protection switching in a communications system is disclosed. The disclosed system and method include the ability to detect bit error burst conditions, in which data is highly errored over a brief time and responsive to which the protection switching procedure is not desired. The number of bit errors over a series of sample periods are counted, and the number of errors detected in each sample period is compared against a burst error threshold. A carryover value from the prior sample period (e.g., the number of detected errors above average) is preferably added to the detected errors in the current sample period prior to the comparison, so that error bursts are detected regardless of their alignment with the sample periods.