Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described in which a transmitting device using shared radio frequency spectrum may perform a listen before talk (LBT) procedure for at least a minimum dwell time and, upon successful completion of the LBT procedure, may occupy the spectrum for up to a duration of a channel occupancy time (COT). The transmitting device may discontinue transmitting during the COT for a gap period, and resume transmitting subsequent to the gap period without performing another LBT procedure. The minimum dwell time may be based on a periodicity of a channel reservation signal transmitted by one or more other devices using the shared radio frequency spectrum. In some cases, the transmitting device may schedule one or more receiving devices with resources for transmissions during the COT, and the receiving devices may perform a LBT that is non-adjacent with an associated transmission.