Aspects are provided allowing a first base station to distinguish between cross-link interference and remote interference caused to a second base station and to apply different mitigation mechanisms based on the type of interference. A UE receives from a second base station a reference signal based on a reference signal identifier that indicates a location of the second base station that is experiencing interference from the first base station. The UE sends to the first base station an indication of the reference signal received from the second base station. The first base station receives from the UE the indication of the reference signal from the second base station based on the reference signal identifier. The first base station applies a mitigation mechanism based on whether the reference signal identifier indicates that the second base station is a remote base station or a neighbor base station.