Methods and apparatus are provided for alleviating deadlock and controlling congestion in a network such as a fibre channel network. Techniques are provided for detecting stalled frames at a fibre channel switch. Reserve credits are released when stalled frames are detected. In some instances, reserve credits are released after a predetermined period of time. Reserve credits allow transmission to effectively reduce deadlock and congestion. Reserve credits are particularly effective in reducing deadlock resulting from transient loops in a fibre channel network.