Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide techniques for transmitting channel state information reference signals (CSI-RS) scheduled by a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) for use by a user equipment (UE) for beam refinement. A method by a user equipment (UE) includes receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH), from a base station (BS), that schedules transmission of a remaining minimum system information (RMSI) and schedules transmission of a channel state information (CSI) reference signal (CSI-RS) by the BS; and processing the CSI-RS.