Various aspects to improve a sidelink communication by UEs in a presence of a reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) are provided. In an aspect, the UE may determine RIS location information for a RIS device controlled by a base station, configure one or more sidelink communication parameters based on the RIS location information, and perform a sidelink communication with a second UE based on the one or more sidelink communication parameters. In an aspect, the UE may receive, from a base station, a RIS configuration setting indicating communication patterns of a RIS device controlled by the base station, the communication patterns being respectively associated with pattern durations, select a pattern duration of the pattern durations, and perform a sidelink communication with a second UE during the selected pattern duration of the pattern durations that is associated with a respective communication pattern of the communication patterns.