Buffering of data from a data stream having error correction elements

Data for a second Multi-Protocol Encapsulation-Forward Error Correcting (MPE-FEC) data frame is received while application data from a first MPE-FEC frame is undergoing error correction. The incoming data is buffered in a supplemental buffer having a size smaller than that needed for an entire MPE-FEC frame. As the supplemental buffer is filled, additional data from the second frame is stored in a buffer previously used to store error correction data for the first MPE-FEC frame. When corrected application data from the first MPE-FEC frame is transferred from an application data buffer used to hold application data undergoing correction, the second MPE-FEC frame data is transferred from the supplemental and error correction data buffers to the application data buffer. Additional data for the second frame is then placed directly into the application and error correction data buffers.