Aspects relate to a soft physical cell identifier (PCI) change within a wireless network. A scheduling entity may communicate with a set of one or more scheduled entities within a first cell utilizing a first PCI. The scheduling entity may determine that a second PCI of a second cell co-located with the first cell has been assigned to the scheduling entity, for example, as a result of a PCI collision. The scheduling entity may implement a soft PCI change from the first PCI to the second PCI during a transition period within which the set of one or more scheduled entities may be transferred from the first cell to the second cell. The scheduling entity may then discontinue using the first PCI after completion of the transition period.