Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communication are described. A user equipment (UE) may autonomously initiate a handover procedure and select a target base station for the handover procedure. The UE may measure a signal from the source base station or the target base station, or both, and the UE may determine whether specific criteria at both base stations are within a pre-configured range. If the criteria at both base stations are within the pre-configured range, the UE may identify the target base station as a potential candidate for a handover. Accordingly, when the UE determines that radio conditions with the source base station are deteriorating (or fall below a threshold), the UE may initiate a handover to the target base station autonomously and without specific direction from the source base station.