Dynamically adjustable cyclic redundancy code rates

Aspects of the invention include receiving a specified number of frames of bits at a receiver. At least one of the received frames includes cyclic redundancy code (CRC) bits. The specified number of frames is based at least in part on a CRC rate. It is determined, by performing a CRC check on the received frames, whether a change in transmission errors has occurred in the received frames. An increase in the CRC rate is initiated at the receiver based at least in part on determining that a change in transmission errors has occurred in the received frames. The increase in the CRC rate is synchronized between the receiver and the transmitter; and performed in parallel with functional operations performed by the receiver.