Systems and methods for employing a paging early indicator (PEI) for power savings in an idle mode wireless communication device. In one embodiment, a method performed by a wireless communication device comprises receiving, from a network node, information that configures one or more PEI occasions prior to a paging occasion (PO) of the wireless communication device and making a determination as to whether to monitor for a PEI in the one or more PEI occasions or to skip monitoring for a PEI in the one or more PEI occasions. The method further comprises either monitoring for a PEI in the one or more PEI occasions or skipping monitoring for a PEI in the one or more PEI occasions, in accordance with the determination. In this manner, utilization of PEI monitoring at the wireless communication device is optimized to achieve UE power savings.