A User Equipment (UE) may receive a coverage mode transition request at a first time and upon determining that the coverage mode transition request includes a request to transition to an Enhanced Coverage (EC) mode, the UE may determine, based on parameters in the coverage mode transition request, an expected communication delay for transmission of a Reference Signal Time Difference (RSTD) measurement report. The UE may initiate transmission of the RSTD measurement report for the positioning measurement session at a second time not exceeding a specified RSTD measurement time. The second time may precede an RSTD measurement timeout time for the positioning measurement session by at least the expected communication delay. Disclosed embodiments also pertain to communication of the expected communication delay between a Location Server (e.g. Evolved Serving Mobile Location Center) and a Base Station (e.g. evolved NodeB) using Long Term Evolution Positioning Protocol Annex (LPPa) messages.