Aspects relate to mechanisms for a wireless communication device to configure and indicate one or more beams for sidelink communication with another wireless communication device. The sidelink communication can include first stage sidelink control information (SCI) and second stage SCI that may be communicated on a first beam configured on the wireless communication devices. The sidelink communication can further include sidelink data traffic that may be communication on a second beam. The second beam may be the first beam or a different beam based on at least one of a beam capability of at least the first wireless communication device or a gap between the sidelink data traffic and at least one of the first stage SCI or the second stage SCI.