Provided are a method, system, and program for processing operations in a system including a bus, a target device and devices capable of accessing the target device over the bus. The target device receives a transaction request from one of the devices over the bus and determines whether a delayed read request is pending after receiving the transaction request. The target device issues a command to disconnect the device initiating the transaction request from the bus. The device initiating the transaction request is allowed to reconnect to the bus and complete the transaction request after the delayed read request is completed.