Exemplary embodiments include methods for a user equipment (UE) to receive a wake-up signal (WUS) via downlink control information (DCI) transmitted by a network node in a radio access network (RAN). Such methods include receiving a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) from the network node, and processing the received PDCCH to determine if it includes a DCI carrying a WUS targeted to the UE. The processing can include determining if a payload portion of the DCI is based on a first function of an identifier associated with the UE (e.g., C-RNTI) or with a group of UEs (e.g., WUG-RNTI). The processing can also include determining if a cyclic redundancy check (CRC) portion of the DCI is based on a second function of the identifier. Other embodiments include complementary methods performed by a network node, and UEs or network nodes configured to perform the exemplary methods.