A method and mechanism for enabling access to a protected register in a client. A system including multiple clients, such as components and devices, is coupled to a service processor which is configured to manage the system. Clients which are managed by the service processor include control and status registers which are protected from access by unauthorized entities. Access rights for particular registers may be restricted to only the service processor. Clients include a timer which the service processor periodically updates. In the event communication is lost between the service processor and a client, the timer is not updated. In response to detecting the timer was not updated, the client is configured to alter the access rights of the register in order to permit an alternate entity to access the protected register. The service processor may then utilize the alternate entity as a proxy in order to transfer the client state to another client and configure the affected client out of the system.