Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In some systems, a user equipment (UE) may monitor a downlink transmission for control information during a set of physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) monitoring occasions. The UE may determine a first configuration for the set of PDCCH monitoring occasions during a slot of the downlink transmission and a threshold number of PDCCH candidates and/or a threshold number of non-overlapping CCEs within the slot. In some cases, the UE may also determine a threshold number of PDCCH candidates and/or non-overlapping control channel elements (CCEs) within a single PDCCH monitoring occasion. The threshold number of PDCCH candidates and non-overlapping CCEs may be fixed, based on the number of PDCCH monitoring occasions during the slot, based on a processing capability of the UE, or a combination thereof. The UE may decode control information contained in one or more of the PDCCH monitoring occasions.