An information handling system includes a compute express link (CXL) device coupled to a processor by a PCIe/CXL link. The processor initiates a link training on the PCIe/CXL link, determines that the PCIe/CXL link failed to train to a CXL link signaling rate, trains the PCIe/CXL link as a PCIe link in response to determining that the PCIe/CXL link failed to train to the CXL link signaling rate, and operates the CXL device as a PCIe device only in response to training the PCIe/CXL link as a PCIe link.