If the data for an MCR operation is not available inside the ARM9E-S core pipeline during its first Decode cycle, then the ARM9E-S core pipeline interlocks for one or more cycles until the data is available. An example of this is where the register being transferred is the destination from a preceding LDR instruction.

In this situation the MCR instruction enters the Decode stage of the coprocessor pipeline, and then remains there for a number of cycles before entering the Execute stage.

Figure 7.4 gives an example of an interlocked MCR that also has a busy-wait state.