Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. In a wireless communications system, a user equipment (UE) and a base station implement reference signal modulation for conveying feedback information. In some examples, the UE may receive, from the base station, control signaling indicating to the UE to convey feedback information by modulating an uplink reference signal. The UE may receive, from the base station, a set of downlink messages. In some cases, the UE may transmit, to the base station, a set of uplink reference signals in response to receiving the downlink messages, where the set of uplink reference signals may be modulated by the UE to convey the feedback information. In some cases, the uplink reference signal may be a sounding reference signal (SRS) with embedded feedback information.