In a method for downlink link adaptation in a network node in a communication system, the network node serving a cell and active user equipment within the cell, performing the steps of obtaining uplink path gain and downlink SINR for at least a subset of active user equipment in the cell, estimating an initial downlink SINR for new user equipment in the cell, based on an estimated uplink path gain together with a determined statistical measure for the obtained uplink path gain and downlink SINR for the at least a subset of active user equipment in the cell, and utilizing the estimated initial downlink SINR for downlink link adaptation for a subsequent transmission to the new user equipment.