Methods, systems, and devices for configuring physical downlink control channel candidates are described. The method may include monitoring, by a UE, an initial set of physical downlink control channel candidates in a first slot, receiving, by the UE, an indication of an adjusted set of physical downlink control channel candidates to monitor in a second slot based on decoding a physical downlink control channel candidate in the initial set, and monitoring, by the UE in the second slot, the adjusted set of physical downlink control channel candidates. The method may also include adaptively (e.g., autonomously) determining, by the UE, the adjusted set of physical downlink control channel candidates, and corresponding determinations by the base station.