1. A method for determining when to perform an error recovery instruction, comprising: receiving an error recovery instruction; beginning a timeout task; monitoring a processor interface for an idle condition; withholding access to a local processor and performing the error recovery instruction in response to detecting an idle condition in said processor interface before expiration of said timeout task, wherein the withholding access to a local processor further comprises withholding access to the processor interface when the idle condition is detected; after access to the processor interface is withheld, interrogating data transfer paths in the processor interface to determine when the data paths are idle, wherein the instruction performing while access to the local processor is withheld includes performing the error recovery instruction when the data transfer paths are idle; forcing performance of the error recovery instruction before an idle condition in said processor interface is detected when the timeout task expires; and resuming normal operations after performing the error recovery instruction.