This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for retransmission of a communication by a relay node based on a failure of a target node to receive the communication. In some aspects, the relay node may determine that the second wireless node has failed to receive the second communication, or an upstream wireless node (such as a distributed unit) may determine that the target node has failed to receive the communication. The relay node may retransmit the communication based on such a determination. In some aspects, the relay node may buffer the communication or information used to generate the communication, and may retransmit the buffered communication. In some aspects, a configuration for the retransmission may be modified based on a capability of the relay node or another concern.