A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided in connection with enabling timing source selection and deselection in a decentralized manner for distributed D2D synchronization in densely populated communications systems. In an example, a communications device, functioning in a non-timing source (TS) mode, is equipped to receive a request for timing information during a synchronization channel. The communications device may further be equipped to determine whether to switch to a TS mode based on a selection utility metric value. In another example, a communications device, functioning in a TS mode, is equipped to transmit a TIB during a synchronization channel, and determine whether to switch to a non-TS mode based on a deselection utility metric value. In the TS mode, the UE is configured to transmit a TIB, while in the non-TS mode the UE is configured not to transmit the TIB.