Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate mitigating effect of non-linear distortion from a power amplifier on a spectral mask margin. Power limit indications can be analyzed in scheduling mobile devices. Mobile devices with power limits can be scheduled on inner subbands. The power limits can be based at least in part on power amplifier headroom information. Other mobile devices can employ remaining portions of an allocated spectrum. Further, mobile devices can evaluate and establish a power amplifier backoff based upon the subband scheduling.