Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a transmitter node may determine a set of desired transmit beams to use for transmissions during a channel occupancy time (COT), wherein each transmit beam in the set of desired transmit beams is associated with an energy detection threshold (EDT). The transmitter node may configure a sensing beam associated with a directional listen-before-talk (LBT) procedure, wherein the sensing beam is associated with an EDT that is at least as strict as a strictest EDT associated with the set of desired transmit beams. The transmitter node may transmit using the set of desired transmit beams during the COT, wherein the COT is initiated based at least in part on an indication that the directional LBT procedure succeeded using the sensing beam. Numerous other aspects are described.