Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. The method includes identifying that the user equipment (UE) is to use a two-step random access channel (RACH) procedure that includes a first message (e.g., uplink request message) and a second message (e.g., downlink response). The methods include sending, as a first message of the two-step RACH procedure, the uplink request message to a base station, receiving, from the base station, a physical downlink control channel comprising an indication of resources of a broadcast or multicast physical downlink shared channel on which the downlink response is to be received, and receiving the downlink response from the base station on the broadcast or multicast physical downlink shared channel. The physical downlink shared channel may be configured to provide downlink responses for one or multiple UEs.