Wireless communications systems and methods related to downlink control channel communications in a wireless communication network are provided. A first wireless communication device communicates, with a second wireless communication device, a configuration indicating a first group of one or more search spaces and a second group of one or more search spaces, where at least one of the first group or the second group includes at least one search space not included in an other of the first group or the second group. The first wireless communication device communicates, with the second wireless communication device, a first downlink control information (DCI) message in a first search space of the first group of one or more search spaces. The first wireless communication device communicates, with the second wireless communication device, a second DCI message in a second search space of the second group of one or more search spaces.