Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications provide for transmission of a beam switch command to a user equipment (UE) via control channel signaling. The UE may establish a connection with a base station using a first transmission beam, receive configuration information configuring the UE to select between a first decoding hypothesis corresponding to downlink control information (DCI) including a bit field including a beam switch command and a second decoding hypothesis corresponding to the DCI not including the bit field, receive a downlink control channel transmission via the first transmission beam, decode the downlink control channel transmission in accordance with the configuration information to obtain decoded DCI, and communicate with the base station based at least in part on the decoded DCI.