Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described to switch between waveform configurations based on an indicated modulation coding scheme (MCS) such that waveform switching may be signaled implicitly. A base station may configure a user equipment (UE) with a hybrid MCS table including MCS indexes associated with a first waveform configuration and MCS indexes associated with a second waveform configuration. The base station may schedule resources for an uplink transmission for the UE and may indicate an MCS index associated with the uplink transmission, using index from the MCS table. The UE may select a waveform configuration for the uplink transmission based on the MCS index. For example, the UE may compare the MCS index with a threshold MCS index of the hybrid MCS table and determine a waveform configuration associated with the MCS index based on whether the MCS index falls above or below the threshold.