Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive an uplink grant via downlink control signaling for a cell group. The UE may determine an uplink error rate for the cell group based on the downlink control signaling. The UE may identify a radio link failure condition for uplink based on the uplink error rate exceeding an uplink error rate threshold. The UE may transmit a radio link failure indication indicating that the radio link failure condition is based on the uplink error rate. The network may send a cell group reconfiguration message to the UE to release the cell group.