Wireless communication devices, systems, and methods related to downlink control information (DCI) monitoring and semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) reception for limited capability devices are provided. For example, a method of wireless communication performed by a user equipment can include receiving, from the base station, a semi-persistent scheduling (SPS) grant, the SPS grant indicating a periodicity; monitoring, in a slot scheduled for a downlink data communication, for an SPS release and the downlink data communication; and transmitting, to the base station, an acknowledgement (ACK) or negative acknowledgment (NACK) based on the monitoring.