Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A user equipment (UE) may receive, from a base station, one or more downlink grants scheduling one or more corresponding downlink transmissions from the base station to the UE. In some examples, the UE may enter a state of sleep prior to receiving the one or more downlink transmissions. In such examples, the UE may wake up from the state of sleep at a first time that is at least a threshold period of time before a second time corresponding to a beginning of the one or more downlink transmissions. After waking up from the state of sleep, the UE may activate a notch filter and use the activated notch filter to filter a spur generated at the UE. The UE may receive the one or more downlink transmissions with improved reliability based on activating the notch filter.