This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for wireless communications and more specifically for handling hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processes with discontinuous reception (DRX) operations. In some implementations, a user equipment (UE) may use a timer to maintain an ON duration in a DRX cycle based on receiving a downlink control information (DCI) message with a data-to-feedback timing indicator (for example, a K1 value) indicating a non-numeric value for a data message. For example, the UE may receive a DCI message with feedback timing for the data message based on maintaining the ON duration. In some other implementations, a UE may use a timer to maintain an ON duration following a feedback opportunity to support dynamic group-based HARQ messaging. For example, the UE may receive a DCI message requesting a retransmission of feedback information based on maintaining the ON duration.