According to certain embodiments, a method in a wireless device includes determining a current coverage enhancement, CE, mode of the wireless device with respect to a first cell and determining an estimated signal quality of the wireless device with respect to the first cell. If the current CE mode is a normal CE mode and the estimated signal quality of the wireless device with respect to the first cell is greater than or equal to an upper threshold, the wireless devices continues to operate in the normal CE mode. If the current CE mode is an enhanced CE mode and the estimated signal quality of the wireless device with respect to the first cell is greater than or equal to a lower threshold and less than the upper threshold, the wireless device continues to operate in the enhanced CE mode. If the current CE mode is the normal CE mode and the estimated signal quality of the wireless device with respect to the first cell is greater than or equal to the lower threshold and less than the upper threshold, the wireless device is reconfigured to operate in the enhanced CE mode. If the current CE mode is the enhanced CE mode and the estimated signal quality of the wireless device with respect to the first cell is greater than or equal to the upper threshold, the wireless device continues to operate in the enhanced CE mode.